St. Mary's Uterine Fibroid Embolization

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths in the uterus. They affect 20 to 40 percent of women ages 35 to 50. Fibroids range in size from very small to the size of a grapefruit — or larger. In some cases, they cause significant swelling in the lower abdomen. “Fibroids usually are diagnosed by a pelvic ultrasound or MRI,” said Daren Repishti, M.D., an interventional radiologist at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital.

Signs and Symptoms

Typical symptoms of fibroids include:

• Heavy, prolonged periods or bleeding in between periods
• Pelvic pain or pressure
• Pressure on the bladder leading to a constant urge to urinate
• Abnormally enlarged, distended abdomen

Treatment Options

Most fibroids do not cause symptoms, so they require no treatment. When fibroids do cause symptoms, there are several options available.

Medication: Hormones, including birth control pills, help some women control their symptoms.

Surgery: Hysterectomy — the surgical removal of the uterus — is the most common treatment for fibroids. Myomectomy, another surgical procedure, involves removing the visible fibroids from the wall of the uterus.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE): “UFE is a minimally invasive procedure that is rapidly growing in popularity as a non-surgical treatment option,” Repishti said. UFE is performed on an outpatient basis by an interventional radiologist, a physician trained to perform many types of minimally invasive procedures. UFE requires only mild sedation.

The procedure begins with a tiny incision at the top of the leg. A small tube called a catheter is inserted and guided to the arteries that supply blood to the fibroids. Then, tiny plastic beads are injected into these arteries, blocking the blood flow to the fibroids and causing them to shrink. The procedure takes about 90 minutes and requires only a Band-Aid at the incision site. Side effects are minimal, and most women can get back to their normal activities in about one week.

Interventional radiologists have been performing uterine fibroid embolizations at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital for more than eight years.

Learn more about embolization by calling our Resource Center at (502) 363-7930.

Videos

Wellness Works – Uterine Fibroid Embolization