#WCW: Raquel K Finds an Alternative to Fibroid Surgery

So many women are looking for an alternative to fibroid surgery. After all, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that over 26 million women aged 15-50 have fibroids, and many need relief from painful fibroid symptoms. Unfortunately, too many women choose surgery for fibroids, leaving them with a painful recovery. Often, that’s because there’s a disparity in access to minimally invasive treatments such as uterine artery embolization (UAE, also referred to as UFE, or uterine fibroid embolization). In fact, evidence presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting in Salt Lake City revealed the extent of the problem: Black women account for 46% of all uterine artery embolization procedures, despite developing fibroids three times more often than white women. And, when it comes to Hispanic women? Well, they represent just 14% of all UAE procedures.

Now, that’s the bad news. But here's the good. If we spread the word regarding this alternative to fibroid surgery, more women can find relief with less invasive procedures. That's why we often feature fibroid warriors as our Woman Crush Wednesday. And this week, we get to draw from our own patient pool, telling the story of Raquel K., who came to our Houston area fibroid practice because she was, "looking for an alternative to fibroid surgery."

Like many African American women, Raquel was diagnosed with fibroids and was facing scary treatment options like surgical removal of her tumors or even of her uterus (hysterectomy.) When she discovered our practice and scheduled her first appointment, she says, "Dr. Fox and his team took time to explain the UFE procedure and made me feel very comfortable."

What is UFE?

As we mentioned earlier, UFE (Uterine Fibroid Embolization) is a minimally invasive alternative fibroid treatment. It's also an outpatient procedure, which means it usually won't require an overnight hospital stay.

During treatment, our doctors insert a catheter through our patient's radial artery, in the left wrist. Next, we guide the catheter to the uterine artery until we get close to your fibroid tumor. Finally, we inject an embolic particle into the catheter. The embolic material blocks the blood flow to the fibroid, depriving the tissue of blood and oxygen. With time the fibroid material will begin to shrink. After the UFE procedure your treated fibroids can no longer grow.

After Raquel successfully underwent her UFE procedure, she turned to our practice Facebook page to share her story. "My quality of life has improved greatly since my UFE and I am very happy with my results," she revealed. So now, she's part of the team helping spread the word about this alternative #FibroidFix. And, in our well-versed hashtag books, that earns her a spot on the #WCW list, as well!

Life After UFE: What to Expect

Right after your procedure, you can expect to experience mild cramping, similar to period symptoms. By the next day, you should be able to return to work. And two weeks later, you'll be back to full normal activities.

And what about your fibroid symptoms? Here's the great news. With time, your symptoms should improve or resolve completely. Take painful sex, for example. Studies show that, one year after UFE, almost 80% of women who chose this treatment saw significant boosts in the quality of their sex lives.

Heavy bleeding should also improve after UFE. While your first period after the procedure may be heavier than usual, within three months of treatment, periods should become shorter and lighter. Want to see if UFE is right for you? Request a consultation with our fibroid experts today. Together, we can review your unique situation. Then, we'll decide if UFE is the right alternative to fibroid surgery for your needs.