What is Uterine Fibroid Embolization in Georgia?

What is uterine fibroid embolization and who is a candidate for this procedure? Our Georgia fibroid experts share all the answers.

Understanding Fibroids

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors of the uterus; they can form in the uterine cavity, within the walls or attached externally via stalk-like formations. They're made of muscular tissue and can lead to fibroid symptoms including heavy bleeding, anemia and pelvic pain.

Exploring Treatment Options

When deciding how to treat your fibroids, you could consider surgical options such as myomectomy or hysterectomy. With a myomectomy, you surgically remove individual tumors, requiring anesthesia, hospital stays and extended recovery periods. With a hysterectomy, an open surgery that involves removing your uterus, you also require general anesthesia, overnight hospital stays and a 4-6 week recovery period that includes the need to heal from a major surgical incision. As a result, many women prefer to seek less invasive fibroid treatment options.

What is involved in Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Here at our Georgia fibroid clinic, UFE is performed as a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure. During treatment, we insert a small catheter to access the arteries supplying your fibroids, then blocking those arteries with the injection of small particles. While this is a great alternative to hysterectomy, a recent Society of Interventional Radiology poll revealed that as many as 53% of women with fibroids learn about hysterectomy as a treatment option. Yet just 17% get to hear about uterine fibroid embolization.

Unfortunately, that keeps them from accessing UFE, a procedure that shrinks fibroids and improves or resolves disruptive symptoms, all with a shorter recovery period and less downtime than you'd expect with other treatment options. Even the procedure itself is fast. Most women can go home on the same day as UFE, about 6 hours after the start of treatment. Afterward, you can expect to return to work within 7 to 10 days of UFE, enjoying the same or better level of symptom relief as you'd expect from a myomectomy.

Final Thoughts: What is Uterine Fibroid Embolization?

Developed more than 40 years ago, uterine fibroid embolization has been perfected in the last 20 years. So, today, we can provide less invasive, out-patient fibroid relief while letting women preserve the uterus. Of course, this procedure is not for everyone. So, are you a good UFE candidate? Find out by requesting a consultation with our fibroid experts in Georgia. We'll answer all your questions about uterine fibroid embolization and what to expect if you choose this treatment option.