What is uterine fibroid embolization and who is a good candidate for this procedure? Hear from our Houston Fibroid experts about what to expect from this minimally invasive treatment option.
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or on your uterus. They form from the muscular tissue of the uterus. And they can cause painful, disruptive symptoms such as long and heavy periods, fertility challenges, and more.
After a fibroids diagnosis, you have many treatment options. Some include surgery, either a myomectomy (surgical removal of the fibroid) or hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus). If you have a hysterectomy, you will have to undergo open surgery, a stay in the hospital, including general anesthesia, surgical incision, and a 4 to 6-week recovery period. You will miss a lot of work, and have a lot of pain for a long period of time after the procedure.
Alternatively, if you have a myomectomy, you will still need anesthesia, a hospital stay and an extended recovery period. So, even if you have a laparoscopic procedure, this treatment option involves pain and downtime. And that's why so many women are seeking a different, less invasive option.
Here in our Houston area clinics, we perform Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE, also called uterine artery embolization.) This is basically a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure where a small catheter injects particles into the arteries supplying the fibroids. But many women aren’t aware it’s an option. In fact, a recent Harris Poll conducted on behalf of the Society of Interventional Radiology revealed some shocking statistics: After being diagnosed with uterine fibroids, 53% were told that hysterectomy is a treatment option, while just 17% learned about uterine fibroid embolization. And 17% of women, (25% of women between the ages of 18 and 34), believed that hysterectomy was their only treatment option. But that’s simply not the case.
So, what happens if you do choose UFE? Following your procedure your fibroids will get smaller, and your symptoms should improve or resolve. Best of all? Your recovery period and down time will be much shorter as compared to other treatment options.
What does that look like in real life? Let's say the procedure starts at 8am. Well, in that case, most of our patients can go home by 2pm on the same day. And they're able to resume work typically within 7 to 10 days afterward. Best of all, they don't have to have surgery where parts of the body are removed. And, according to research, they can enjoy equal symptom relief compared to open surgical procedures that require hospitalization and a long recovery.
You should choose UFE if you have uterine fibroids that are symptomatic. And the symptoms are in 2 broad categories: you should either be dealing with heavy menstrual bleeding or bulk-related symptoms concerning the size of the fibroid. (These include pelvic pain, pressure, urinary frequency, constipation and/or leg symptoms.) Those are really the ideal patients.
The great thing about uterine fibroid embolization is it's a procedure that's been around for over 40 years, as it was initially discovered in the late 1970's, but has really been perfected within the last twenty years. For a long time, women who had uterine fibroids were forced to choose between a hysterectomy or a less invasive but still open surgery to remove part of the fibroids. But these options still required lengthy recovery times.
Now we're able to do procedures that are much less invasive, and that allow us to send the patient home the same day, treating their fibroids on an outpatient basis. We do so by putting a catheter, a small plastic tube, either through the artery in the wrist or through their groin, and then send that catheter down into the arteries that supply the uterus. We're able to inject small beads to the catheter, and they go and block the blood supply to the tumors, shrinking the tumors while preserving the uterus.
Not sure if UFE is the right treatment for your needs? Reach out and request a consultation with our team of experts. We are happy to answer all your questions, including "What is Uterine Fibroid Embolization?" and "is this treatment right for me?"
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