Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a procedure to treat fibroids without surgery. Instead, the doctor (a radiologist) uses special imaging methods to treat your uterine fibroids. During the procedure, the blood supply of the fibroids is cut off, causing the fibroids to shrink.
Alternative NamesUterine fibroid embolization; UFE; UAE
DescriptionUAE is done in the radiology department of a hospital. Usually local anesthesia is used. You will be awake but unable to feel pain. (This is called conscious sedation.) The procedure takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
The procedure is usually done this way:
Uterine artery embolization is an effective way to treat fibroids that are not very large. Sometimes women have UAE done after childbirth to treat very heavy vaginal bleeding.
Women who may want to become pregnant in the future should NOT have this procedure.
RisksUterine artery embolization is generally safe. Ask your doctor about these possible problems.
A risk for any anesthesia is having a bad reaction to the anesthetic that is used.
The risks for any invasive procedure are:
The risks of uterine artery embolization are:
Always tell your doctor or nurse:
Before your UAE:
On the day of your UAE :
Women usually stay in the hospital overnight after UAE. Some women are able to go home a few hours after treatment, but this is less common.
You will receive pain medicine. You will be asked to lie flat for 4 to 6 hours after the procedure.
Pelvic cramps are common for the first 24 hours after the procedure. They may last for 2 weeks. Cramps may be severe and may last more than 6 hours at a time.
The treated fibroid tissue may pass through your vagina.
Outlook (Prognosis)Uterine artery embolization usually works well to decrease pain, pressure, and bleeding from fibroids. Up to 30% of women who have UAE done:
Edwards RD, Moss JG, Lumsden MA, Wu O, Murray LS, Twaddle S, et al. Uterine-artery embolization versus surgery for symptomatic uterine fibroids. N Engl J Med. 2007 Jan 25;356(4):360-70.
Katz VL. Benign gynecologic lesions : Vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, oviduct, ovary. In: Duthie EH, Katz PR, Malone ML, eds. Practice of Geriatrics. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 18.
Volkers NA, Hehenkamp WJ, Birnie E, Ankum WM, Reekers JA. Uterine artery embolization versus hysterectomy in the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids: 2 years' outcome from the randomized EMMY trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Jun;196(6):519.e1-11.
Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a procedure to treat fibroids without surgery. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous (benign) tumors that develop in the uterus (womb).
During the procedure, the blood supply of the fibroids is cut off, causing the fibroids to shrink.
Alternative NamesUterine fibroid embolization; UFE; UAE
DescriptionUAE is done by a doctor called an interventional radiologist.
You will be awake but unable to feel pain. (This is called conscious sedation.) The procedure takes about 45 - 60 minutes.
The procedure is usually done this way:
UAE is an effective way to treat symptoms caused by fibroids.
Uterine artery embolization is generally safe.
The risks for any invasive procedure are:
The risks of uterine artery embolization are:
Always tell your doctor or nurse:
Before your UAE:
On the day of your UAE:
Women usually stay in the hospital overnight after UAE. Some women are able to go home the same day.
You will receive pain medicine. You will be asked to lie flat for 4 - 6 hours after the procedure.
Pelvic cramps are common for the first 24 hours after the procedure. They may last for a few days to 2 weeks. Cramps may be severe and may last more than 6 hours at a time.
Most women recover quickly and are able to return to normal activities within 7 - 10 days. The treated fibroid tissue may pass through your vagina.
Outlook (Prognosis)Uterine artery embolization works well to decrease pain, pressure, and bleeding from fibroids in most women who have the procedure.
It is less invasive than surgical treatments for uterine fibroids. Many women are likely to return more quickly to actives after surgery.
As with other treatments for uterine fibroids, some women may require more procedures or a hysterectomy in the future.
ReferencesACOG Practice Bulletin: Clinical management guidelines for obstetricians-gynecologists. Number 96, August 2008. Obstet Gynecol. 2008;112:387-400.
Bradley L, Uterine Fibroid Embolization: a viable alternative to hysterectomy. Obstet Gynecol. 2009:127-135.
Goodwin SC, Spies JB, Worthington-Kirsch R et al. Uterine artery Embolization for treatment of leiomyomata: long term outcomes from the FIBROID registry. Obstet Gynecol. 2008; 111:22-33.
Tulandi T, Salamah K, Fertility and Uterine Artery Embolization. Obstet Gynecol. 2010;115:857-860.
Volkers NA, Hehenkamp WJ, Birnie E, Ankum WM, Reekers JA. Uterine artery embolization versus hysterectomy in the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids: 2 years' outcome from the randomized EMMY trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Jun;196(6):519.e1-11.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 10/12/2010
A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, and David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine (2/7/2009).
A recent study comparing the fertility of women who had uterine artery embolizations with those who had a myomectomy showed similar number of successful pregnancies for both groups. The long-term effect of uterine artery embolization on the ability of a woman to have children has not been fully determined.
Uterine fibroid embolization, also known asuterine artery embolization, is performed by an interventional radiologist, a physician who is trained to perform this and other types of embolization and minimally invasive procedures. It is performed while the patient is conscious, but sedated and feeling no pain. It does not require general anesthesia. The interventional radiologist makes a tiny nick in the skin in the groin and inserts a catheter into the femoral artery. Using real-time imaging, the physician guides the catheter through the artery and then releases tiny particles, the size of grains of sand, into the uterine arteries that supply blood to the fibroid tumor. This blocks the blood flow to the fibroid tumor and causes it to shrink and die. http://www.vascularaccesscenters.com/ufe.asp
Adenomyosishas been a frustrating disease to treat; medical treatment with oral progesterone or birth control pills often does not work and uterine artery embolization often fails.
Palpable uterine artery pulsation refers to a medical doctor feeling the uterine artery when your heart beats. Studies are underway to determine if a palpable uterine artery is a possible indicator of early pregnancy.
It means you can feel the pulses of blood flowing through your main artery in the uterus (uterine artery) just by touching the area where the uterine artery passes through.
The uterine artery and vein
Splenic embolization. involves plugging or blocking the splenic artery to shrink the size of the spleen. The substances that are injected during this procedure include polyvinyl alcohol foam, polystyrene, and silicone.
Adenomyosishas been a frustrating disease to treat. Medical treatment with oral progesterone or birth control pills often does not work and uterine artery embolization often fails. Surgery would damage uterus. Traditional Chinese meidcine is recommended.
Mukarram Ali Zaidi has written: 'Prediction of ischemic pain following uterine artery embolization for fibroids'
female -uterine artery
The tortures arteries and veins in the human body are those that cause extreme pain to our bodies when a person is injured. The tortures arteries are 1.uterine artery 2.maxillary artery 3.facial artery 4.spleenic artery 5.retinal artery
Dysmenorrhea, Pain in sex, Irregular menstruation,Infertility are the symptoms of adenomyosis. Adenomyosis been a frustrating disease to treat. Medical treatment with oral progesterone or birth control pills often does not work and uterine artery embolization often fails. Surgery would damage uterus. Traditional Chinese meidcine is recommended.