What is Uterine Artery Embolization?

Uterine Artery Embolization is the blockage of blood supply to fibroids, causing the fibroids to die and shrink, ultimately reducing or eliminating the uncomfortable fibroids symptoms that many women experience.

This video discusses a fibroid treatment called Uterine Artery Embolization or Uterine Fibroid Embolization. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that allows us to treat, and in most cases, cure fibroids without surgery. This procedure effectively addresses fibroid symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, pain, and pressure.

How is the Uterine Artery Embolization procedure performed?

The uterine artery embolization procedure is quite straightforward as we use a small flexible tube called a catheter. We introduce it into the artery that supplies the blood to the fibroid, and using image guidance or X-rays, identify the blood supply to the fibroid.

We inject a very small amount of what looks like a small salt crystal into the blood vessel, which blocks the blood supply to the fibroid. We do this only to the fibroid, not the ovaries, womb, or uterus. The fibroids then die and naturally shrink. This fibroids treatment results in symptom resolution.

Who performs uterine artery embolization?

A highly skilled interventional radiologist performs the uterine artery procedure, Interventional Radiology is a specialized branch of radiology that focuses on using minimally invasive, image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat diseases across almost every organ system. By using the least invasive techniques available, interventional radiologists aim to reduce patient risk and enhance overall health outcomes.

Results of Uterine Artery Embolization Treatment

Fortunately, the success rate in competent hands for patients who have undergone this fibroid treatment exceeds 95%, and by that we mean, almost 100% of patients who are selected appropriately get symptom resolution.

So if you are a woman suffering from heavy periods related to fibroids and you are treated with embolization, there is a very good chance for those symptoms to resolve completely after the procedure. Uterine Artery Embolization is not the answer to all fibroids but is an extremely good and very safe form of treatment to offer to patients. Patients often ask about the side effects of this form of fibroid treatment.

The first one is that there is pain after the procedure which you will have to undergo unfortunately for the procedure to work. It is not unbearable and is manageable. As far as true dangerous side effects are concerned, the profile is exceptionally low. The risk of infection and bleeding is low. The risk of destroying the blood supply to unrelated organs, i.e. the womb, ovaries, or bladder, is also extremely low. The nice thing about Uterine Artery Embolization is that you have a high impact value for a very low complication profile.