Important Facts on UAE and other Adenomyosis Treatments

Adenomyosis is a benign, non-life threatening condition.  But it's very painful, and patients need relief. Unfortunately, doctors often confuse adenomyosis with uterine fibroids and other conditions, so it can be difficult to diagnose without proper medical attention.

One of the newer treatments for adenomyosis is UAE, or Uterine Artery Embolization. In this post, we take a deeper look at this condition, and examine how UAE’s effectiveness stacks up against other treatments.

What Is Adenomyosis?

Adenomyosis occurs when the endometrial tissue lining the uterus moves into the muscle wall of the uterus. As a result, the lining of the uterus becomes thicker, which can cause the uterus to double or even triple in size. About 1 in 5 women may be affected by this condition. Hormones like estrogen seem to trigger the condition; as such, it typically resolves in the first year after menopause, when estrogen levels go down.

Signs You May Have Adenomyosis

Now, about one-third of women with adenomyosis have no symptoms, or only experience minor disruptions. Yet, for those who do experience effects, many of the symptoms of this condition are similar to fibroid symptoms, so getting a conclusive diagnosis can be difficult.

Recently, in a review of adolescents with adenomyosis, study authors found many common symptoms in all 43 young women included in the study. First, almost all of the women had some evidence of pelvic endometriosis. Their uterine walls became asymmetric. Many developed cysts. And all the young women faced heavy periods.

Now, this study is important because it shows women of any age can develop this condition. And, regardless of age, other common adenomyosis symptoms include:

• Heavy bleeding during the menstrual cycle
• Prolonged cramping
• Blood clots
• Longer cycles
• Irregular cycles
• Spotting between cycles
• Bloating
• Pain with intercourse
• Discomfort when moving your bowels
• Increased risk for miscarriage or pre-term births

UAE And Other Treatments For Adenomyosis

Let’s begin by stating that the only cure for adenomyosis is a hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus. For those patients not ready to embrace that extreme treatment, there are other ways to get relief.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms and how close you are to menopause, you may wish to explore one or more of these treatment options.

• Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can help with the pain and reduce the blood flow. The Mayo Clinic advises to starting the medication several days prior to the beginning of your cycle.
• Taking birth control pills and other hormones is another treatment frequently used.
• Lingzagolix drug therapy: this drug is a newly discovered adenomyosis treatment. It blocks your body from producing certain sex hormones. In studies, menstruation stopped and severe adenomyosis symptoms improved with this drug.
• Endometrial ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that destroys the lining, but its success depends on how deeply the tissue has penetrated into the wall of the uterus.
• UAE or Uterine Artery Embolization is a technique commonly used to treat uterine fibroids.

UAE for Adenomyosis

When we perform UAE, we inject particles into the uterine artery to block blood flow to the specific problem area. The goal is to deprive the tissue of both blood and oxygen so the condition will abate. The procedure does not involve an overnight stay in the hospital.

UAE seems to be an excellent short-term treatment option for adenomyosis. According to this study, it has similar efficacy to and fewer adverse reactions than surgery to remove the affected tissue. As such, it’s an excellent option to pursue when considering adenomyosis treatments, and we encourage you to contact our office to learn more about this procedure.

Sources:

WebMd.Com

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adenomyosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369143

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/703820_11

https://www.healthline.com/health/adenomyosis

Journal of Fertility and Sterility