By: Rebecca K. Abma for Fibroids1If you suffer from pelvic pain or heavy bleeding caused by fibroids, talk to your doctor about uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks or destroys fibroids and eliminates symptoms.
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Questions to ask your doctor when considering uterine fibroid embolization (UFE):
Am I a good candidate for the procedure?
What are the benefits and risks of UFE?
Will I need to have any tests beforehand?
Do you perform the procedure or can you refer me to someone who does?
What do I need to do to prepare for UFE?
Is an overnight hospital stay required?
How long should it take to recover?
When can I expect to go back to work?
Is there anything I shouldn’t do after the procedure?
Is there anything else I should know before making a decision? |
An estimated 20 to 40 percent of women live with fibroids, benign growths on the muscular wall of the uterus that can grow to the size of a cantaloupe. Some women with fibroids have no symptoms, while others experience heavy menstrual bleeding, pain or pressure in their pelvis, back or legs, or constipation and bloating.
In the past, women with bothersome fibroids had few options. They could either live with the pain and wait for menopause to ease their suffering, or they could have surgery to remove the fibroids (myomectomy) or uterus (hysterectomy). These tend to be painful procedures with up to months of recovery.
Today, non-surgical options allow women to say goodbye to fibroids for good. These treatments can restore quality of life in days instead of months.
What is UFE?
UFE is an interventional radiological procedure similar to heart catheterization. The physician guides a catheter into the two uterine arteries and injects small particles, similar to course sand or a gelatin sponge, that block the fibroids’ blood supply. As a result, the fibroids shrink and die, and symptoms dissipate.
In fact, 85 percent of women who have had UFE report partial or complete relief of pain, pressure and heavy bleeding. And unlike hormone therapy or laser treatments, where fibroids can grow back and new ones can develop, UFE shows promise as a permanent solution.
What to expect
Before the procedure, you’ll have a complete gynecological workup. Your doctor will assess the size, number and location of the fibroids using an MRI, ultrasound or laparoscopic exam, and a biopsy of the uterine lining (endometrium) may be performed if heavy bleeding is a symptom.
During the 60 to 90 minute UFE procedure, you’ll be given a sedative and local anesthesia. You may feel pressure, but you shouldn’t feel any pain. After the procedure, you may experience severe cramping for the first 24 hours, but the pain should end quickly. An overnight hospital stay for observation and pain management may be required.
Patients are typically able to resume their regular activities within two weeks of UFE. Symptoms, such as pain and pressure, usually disappear within two to three months and problems with heavy menstrual periods often improve during the first cycle after the procedure.
UFE may not be right for all women. Women with no fibroid symptoms, who may have cancer or who are allergic to contrast material containing iodine should not undergo UFE. It is also not recommended for women who may wish to become pregnant, because its affect on fertility is unknown.
To find out if UFE is right for you, talk to your doctor. To find a fibroid specialist near you, click here.
