Uterine Fibriod Treatment

The normal uterus is not affected. The patient they’re treating today presented with a significant amount of uterine bleeding. “In addition because of the pressure on the bladder, she has urinary frequency and has to go to the bathroom up to seven, eight times a day. You can see how it’s compressing into the bladder itself,” says Dr. Weintraub.

The study shows this procedure is just as effective as surgery, but it eliminates a five day or so hospital stay with surgery. Patients experience much less pain after the procedure. After a year some patients getting a uterine artery embolization did need repeat procedure but they didn’t have the risk of potentially serious complication with surgery like infections and bleeding.

Dr. Lookstein adds, “In our institution the majority of the patients are able to go home the same day, with a small percentage of patients staying over night.” The amazing thing is, many patients never learn about the procedure from their doctors. “They were never given the option to have a uterine fibroid embolization by their gynecologist and they had to do their own research on the internet to find out that this was an option available to them,” says Dr. Lookstein. “I think it is an incredible important article.”

One that hopefully will help bring this procedure out from hiding in the shadow of invasive surgery. UFE is done under a local with sedation using versed, which eliminates your memory of the procedure. It’s much less expensive, in large part because you can go home so soon. The problem here: this is a so called turf war between your gynecologist and the radiologists; each side wants the patients. So talk to both before you decide.