What are Uterine Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are very common non-cancerous (benign) growths that develop in the muscular wall of the uterus. They can range in size from very tiny (a quarter of an inch) to larger than a cantaloupe. Uterine fibroids are the most common tumors of the female genital tract but for most women, they either do not cause symptoms or cause only minor symptoms.

Uterine Fibroid Symptoms

Most fibroids don’t cause symptoms—only 10 to 20 percent of women who have fibroids require treatment. Depending on size, location and number of fibroids, they may cause:

• Heavy, prolonged menstrual periods and unusual monthly bleeding, sometimes with clots. This can lead to anemia.
• Abnormally enlarged abdomen
• Bladder pressure leading to a frequent urge to urinate
• Pelvic pain and pressure

Uterine Fibroid Treatments
Nonsurgical Uterine Fibroid Embolization –A Major Advance in Women’s Health

Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), also known as uterine artery embolization, is performed by an interventional radiologist, a physician who is trained to perform this and other types of embolization and minimally invasive procedures. It is performed while the patient is conscious, but sedated and feeling no pain. It does not require general anesthesia.

The interventional radiologist makes a tiny nick in the skin in the groin and inserts a catheter into the femoral artery. Using real-time imaging, the physician guides the catheter through the artery and then releases tiny particles, the size of grains of sand, into the uterine arteries that supply blood to the fibroid.

This blocks the blood flow to the fibroid and causes it to shrink and die.

Risks

UFE is a very safe method and, like other minimally invasive procedures, has significant advantages over conventional open surgery. However, there are some associated risks, as there are with any medical procedure. A small number of patients have experienced infection, which usually can be controlled by antibiotics. These complication rates are lower than those of hysterectomy and myomectomy