| Fibroids1: How does fibroid embolization work? |
| Dr. James Newman: The procedure is done generally through one very small incision at the groin to gain access to the femoral artery. From that one site we can place catheters that will treat both arteries, both the right and left uterine arteries that lead to the uterus and the fibroids. Once we've placed the catheter we can steer the catheter internally and that part is painless. We can see where the catheter is going and we can direct the catheter to a place where it will be actually in the blood supply of the fibroids. Once the catheter is in place we can inject different kinds of particles, special embolization particles, which will block the blood supply to the fibroids.
The reason this procedure is practical is that the fibroids demand a very large blood supply in order to stay alive. If we can cut down the blood supply of the fibroids the cells of the fibroids will actually die in place and the body will reabsorb them. The result is that the fibroid is much smaller after several months and in many cases, if they are causing bleeding, the bleeding is reduced significantly.
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| Dr. John Lipman: What we’re doing is cutting off the blood supply to the fibroids by delivering embolic particles. Without a blood supply the fibroids will start to wither away, the uterus stays alive, but the fibroids die off. After the procedure, fibroids will soften and some will go away completely, most will stay, but they’re in a much smaller, softer state.
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| Dr. James Newman: The procedure is done generally through one very small incision at the groin to gain access to the femoral artery. From that one site we can place catheters that will treat both arteries, both the right and left uterine arteries that lead to the uterus and the fibroids. Once we've placed the catheter we can steer the catheter internally and that part is painless. We can see where the catheter is going and we can direct the catheter to a place where it will be actually in the blood supply of the fibroids. Once the catheter is in place we can inject different kinds of particles, special embolization particles, which will block the blood supply to the fibroids.
The reason this procedure is practical is that the fibroids demand a very large blood supply in order to stay alive. If we can cut down the blood supply of the fibroids the cells of the fibroids will actually die in place and the body will reabsorb them. The result is that the fibroid is much smaller after several months and in many cases, if they are causing bleeding, the bleeding is reduced significantly.
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| Dr. John Lipman: What we’re doing is cutting off the blood supply to the fibroids by delivering embolic particles. Without a blood supply the fibroids will start to wither away, the uterus stays alive, but the fibroids die off. After the procedure, fibroids will soften and some will go away completely, most will stay, but they’re in a much smaller, softer state.
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Dr. James Newman
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James S. Newman, M.D., Ph.D., graduated from Dartmouth College and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, earning the M.D. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Newman pursued residency programs at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital and the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis, then fellowship training in Interventional Radiology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, serving on the faculty at Johns Hopkins until 1991. He returned to Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center, serving as Chief of Interventional Radiology there for eight years, before joining the Cleveland Clinic in 1999.
Dr. Newman's clinical and research interests include TIPS, portal hypertension procedures, uterine artery embolization for fibroids, and new approaches to improving patient comfort during and after procedures.
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Dr. John Lipman
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Dr. John Lipman is founder of the Atlanta Interventional Institute and Medical Director for the Center for Minimally Invasive Services at WellStar Windy Hill Hospital in Marietta, Ga. As an Interventional Radiologist, Dr. Lipman specializes in minimally-invasive out-patient procedures that can replace the need for major surgery. His clinic is dedicated to treating women’s conditions – particularly uterine fibroids and fertility issues. His love for the profession began during his medical school training at Georgetown and during his residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He completed his training with a fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Yale, and today he is dedicated to bringing less-invasive treatment alternatives to his community in Georgia.
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Dr. James Newman
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James S. Newman, M.D., Ph.D., graduated from Dartmouth College and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, earning the M.D. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Newman pursued residency programs at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital and the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis, then fellowship training in Interventional Radiology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, serving on the faculty at Johns Hopkins until 1991. He returned to Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center, serving as Chief of Interventional Radiology there for eight years, before joining the Cleveland Clinic in 1999.
Dr. Newman's clinical and research interests include TIPS, portal hypertension procedures, uterine artery embolization for fibroids, and new approaches to improving patient comfort during and after procedures.
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Dr. John Lipman
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Dr. John Lipman is founder of the Atlanta Interventional Institute and Medical Director for the Center for Minimally Invasive Services at WellStar Windy Hill Hospital in Marietta, Ga. As an Interventional Radiologist, Dr. Lipman specializes in minimally-invasive out-patient procedures that can replace the need for major surgery. His clinic is dedicated to treating women’s conditions – particularly uterine fibroids and fertility issues. His love for the profession began during his medical school training at Georgetown and during his residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He completed his training with a fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Yale, and today he is dedicated to bringing less-invasive treatment alternatives to his community in Georgia.
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