Want to avoid the hormonal swings associated with traditional fibroid surgeries? Look to UFE!

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) is a non-surgical procedure that cuts off the blood supply to the fibroids. The procedure does not include the ovaries in the process, which means that the ovaries are often not affected by the procedure.

There are very few accounts of women that experience hormonal changes as a result of  UFE, with the exception of the small percentage of women that experience early menopause as a result of the procedure. Most women will not experience hormonal changes or depression, both of which are common with hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) patients. Women that are approaching the age of menopause, however, may be more likely to start menopause after UFE.

Learn more about fibroids and Uterine Fibroid Embolization online, or contact us directly by calling 866-362-6463 or by requesting a free phone consultation. Additionally, you can find us on Twitter @fibroiddoctor and on Facebook at facebook.com/fibroids.

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Ever wondered what happens to your fibroids after the UFE procedure? Read on to find out what happens to these myomas and which types may put you at greater risk for post-complications.

What happens to fibroids when they are embolized? Do they merely shrink, or do they “fall off” in some way?

After losing their blood supply, fibroids lose their fluid content and they are removed by the body. In time they undergo a process of fibrosis, and lose their ability to grow again. The overall effect is that the fibroid shrinks but does not become detached and “fall off”. However, in some cases, when treating pedunculated fibroids ( fibroids that are stalked from the uterus) there is a possibility that they can eventually “fall off” into the pelvis and cause some complications. Embolizing a pedunculated fibroid may disrupt the stalk, thereby releasing the fibroid into either the subserosal or submucosal cavity.

Disrupting the stalk of a pedunculated subserosal fibroid can result in the fibroid’s release. This development can potentially cause chemical peritonitis (inflammation of the membrane that lines the abdomen), leading to prolonged pain after embolization. This risk of stalk disruption has led some interventional radiologiests (IRs) to evaluate the width of the fibroid’s attachment to the uterus before considering a patient as a UFE candidate. Recommendations have varied, but a stalk width greater than one-third to one-half the diameter of the fibroid is considered acceptable to most IRs. These recommendations are based on the idea that safety increases directly with the width of the stalk. At the present time, however, no studies have been performed to back these criteria.

When submucosal pedunculated fibroids lose their attachment to the uterus, they are at increased risk for expulsion from the uterus. Although expulsion is usually not associated with clinically significant complications, uterine obstruction can occur if the fibroid does not completely pass through the cervix. In this case, other procedures may be required to remove retained tissue, which may otherwise become secondarily infected leading to other secondary complications of the uterus.

Learn more about Uterine Fibroid Embolization online, or contact us directly by calling (866) 479-1523 or by requesting a free phone consultation.

Find out about the history of Uterine Artery Embolization and how Dr. McLucas was instrumental in its initial use in the United States!

Are UAE and UFE the same thing? And how long has the procedure been around?

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) and Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) are two names for the same procedure and can be used interchangeably. Since the actual procedure entails the blocking or “embolization” of the uterine artery, UAE is probably a more appropriate term.

Embolization of the uterine artery has been used as a treatment for severe uterine bleeding during surgery or childbirth for some time. However, this procedure was initially used in fibroid patients as a method of decreasing the blood loss that occurs during myomectomy, but it was later discovered that after the embolization, many patient’s symptoms went away and surgery was no longer needed.

After making this stark discovering, UAE was then used as a treatment specifically for fibroids in France in the early 1990’s and Dr. Bruce McLucas was the first person to pioneer the use of this procedure for fibroid treatment in the United States in 1995.

For more information on fibroids or UAE, please give us a call at 866-296-9244 or request a free phone consultation.

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Look inside to find a quick synopsis of the UAE procedure and the imaging used during the process.

Is an ultrasound used to find the uterine artery during the procedure? Have there been any cases where the PVA particles went to the wrong place?

An ultrasound is not used during fibroid embolization.  The ultrasound that you are referring to is done before the embolization procedure. The patient undergoes complete pelvic imaging, either ultrasound or MRI, to measure the size of the uterus and to look for any other conditions that might be affecting their health.

During the procedure, however, the first step in embolization requires a very small incision, about the size of a freckle, which is made in your upper thigh. This is done so that a tiny catheter can be inserted through this incision and into the femoral artery. Using x-ray guidance, a trained physician locates the feeder vessels which supply blood to each fibroid. Microscopic inert particles are injected into the vessels, blocking blood supply that nourishes the fibroid. Without a steady blood supply, the fibroids begin to dwindle and shrink. You can see the procedure performed live on our site at The Embolization Solution: See It Work.

Because physicians are able to use x-ray guidance to locate the exact vessels which supply the fibroids,  PVA particles are kept from going to the wrong place. Thus far we are unaware of particles escaping into the bloodstream and creating embolisms elsewhere.

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Uterine Artery Embolization & Imaging at a Glance

Still want to keep your fertility options open and want to continue having your period? The UFE procedure strives to rid symptoms associated with fibroids, while allowing women to maintain their cycles.

Will I still have menstrual periods after I have the embolization procedure?

Generally speaking, approximately 95% of women will continue to have menstrual periods after Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). Roughly 5% of women in one published study did enter menopause after UFE, but the reason for this is not clear. It may have been coincidental, but there is also a small possibility that some of the injected particles caused a reduction of blood flow to the ovaries. Additionally, if you are reaching the typical age range in which most women experience menopause, there is a possibility that you may enter menopause, but often times this is not caused by the procedure itself, but rather a natural phenomenon that is unavoidable.

At any rate, most women continue to have their periods and are often happy to find that they no longer experience the burdensome symptoms that they experienced prior to UFE.  After UFE periods are often much lighter, less painful, and quite manageable.  UFE patients are usually very satisfied and come out of the procedure with the advantage of having normal menstrual cycles, leaving their fertility options open.

To learn more about fibroids and the embolization procedure, please feel free to contact the Fibroid Treatment Collective at 866-362-6463 or request a free phone consultation.  We would love to help you answer any additional questions that you might have or help you find out of UFE is an option you would like to explore!

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Worried that UFE will harm your uterus? Worry no more! In this section we explain how UFE leaves your uterus virtually untouched.

What happens to the uterus after the procedure? Does embolization cause any injury to the uterus?

The uterus tolerates Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) very well. In most research studies conducted, analysis of the uteri showed no UFE-related injury to the normal uterine muscle or the lining of the uterine cavity. Only the fibroids were affected. Proving that injury to the normal uterus is extremely rare.

There are two main ideas to explain these findings. First, the arterial branches that go to normal uterine tissues are tiny, while the arteries that go to the fibroid are very large. Injected polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles are too big to enter vessels leading to the normal uterus, so they flow right past these vessels and go directly to where the blood flow and vessel diameter are greatest. The fibroids, which feed off of this blood flow, absorb the blood-borne PVA. Further embolizing the blood flow to the uterus and eventually shrinking the tissue.

Second, the uterus is able to “recruit” blood supply from adjacent organs, primarily the cervix, vagina, and pelvic floor. By using this “secondary source” as a means to receive blood supply, the uterus still maintains the blood necessary to remain healthy, further ensuring that no damage can be done.

To learn more about fibroids and the embolization procedure, please feel free to contact the Fibroid Treatment Collective at 866-362-6463 or request a free phone consultation.  We are always more than happy to provide you with useful resources and help you make positive choices for your health!

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Experiencing abnormally heavy periods? Feeling bloated? Find out how UAE can help eradicate these symptoms and help you get back to feeling great in no time!

What will my period be like after UAE?

In most cases, women that under UAE will have significantly lighter periods.  Embolization does a wonderful job of ensuring that the symptoms prior to having the procedure are pacified quite markedly after the procedure. Therefore, women that have the procedure can feel secure in knowing that those painful and abnormally heavy periods will no longer be the case after the procedure.

In some cases, however, some women may experience irregular periods from anywhere between 3 to 6 months.  The chance of this is below 1% for women under 40 and about 10% for women over 45. Hormonal changes that may lead to period irregularity after a hysterectomy appear to be a bit more common than after UAE. Additionally, there are a few rare cases in which women have experienced early onset of menopause.  However, early menopause is quite unlikely  and in most cases has only occurred in women approaching the typical years of menopause onset.

Overall, UAE is often the procedure of choice for most women due to a quick recovery period of only 5 to 7 days and its ability to completely eradicate irregular period symptoms. The procedure is less invasive than other traditional procedures and has the ability to get you back on your feet and back to your daily activities in a short period of time.

To learn more about fibroids and the embolization procedure, please feel free to contact the Fibroid Treatment Collective at 866-362-6463 or request a free phone consultation.  We are always more than happy to provide you with useful resources and help you make positive choices for your help!

Learn whether radiation is involved in uterine fibroid embolization and if there are any side effects.

Is there any radiation involved in Uterine Fibroid Embolization? If so, how much?

There is a very small amount of radiation involved in the embolization procedure. It is well below the amount normally taken in during an x-ray, and there are little or no side effects from the exposure during the procedure.

If you would like to learn more about fibroids and UFE or have any additional questions, please give the Fibroid Treatment Collective a call at 866-362-6463 and they will be more than happy to schedule you for a consultation.

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Tried other options of fibroid removal with no success and looking to explore other options? Read on to find out how UAE may be the answer to your fibroid problems!

I am 42 years old and live in Cyprus Island in Europe. In the past 10 years, I have had 4 Myomectomies to remove about 16 fibroids. Now, again, 4 more are rapidly growing and the doctor suggested hysterectomy. I do not want to remove my uterus. I read some of the stories of your patients and was wondering if there is a cure for me without removing my uterus.

As a patient, it is extremely important that you explore all of your options before making a decision.  Being that you are looking for an alternative to hysterectomy and have already undergone several myomectomies with no success of halting fibroid growth, it is suggested that you look into Uterine Fibroid Embolization.  UAE not only prevents your current fibroids from growing by blocking their blood supply, but it also allows you to experience immediate symptom relief.

In addition to immediate symptom relief, you can enjoy a more speedy recovery.  Embolization patients experience a shorter recovery period of only 5-7 days, remarkably shorter than the 6-8 week recovery period that patients undergoing more traditional procedures often experience. This, in turn, allows UAE patients to return to their day-to-day activities much quicker.

Aside from the other advantages that UAE presents, many patients also favor the fact that it is less invasive than the more traditional methods of fibroid removal and it leaves your uterus intact. With embolization there are no scalpels, sutures or scarring involved and patients are not exposed to the risks of general anesthetic. The procedure is simple, safe, and non-surgical, often leaving it as an optimal choice for women still interested in child birth.

If you are interested in looking into UAE and have any questions about the procedure or about fibroids, please feel free to contact us online or call 866-362-6463.

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