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What are uterine fibroids?


What are typical symptoms?

  • Pelvic pain
  • Pelvic pressure or heaviness
  • Pain in the back or legs
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Bladder pressure leading to a constant urge to urinate
  • Pressure on the bowel, leading to constipation and bloating
  • Abnormally enlarged abdomen

Who is most likely to have uterine fibroids?


How are uterine fibroids diagnosed?


How are uterine fibroids treated?

The next step is to try more invasive therapy. The most common treatment options include:

Uterine artery (or fibroid) embolization

This minimally invasive procedure will be explored further later in this brochure. Briefly, an interventional radiologist makes a tiny incision in the groin and passes a small tube called a catheter through the artery. When the catheter reaches the uterine artery, the interventional radiologist slowly releases tiny plastic particles the size of grains of sand into the vessels. The particles flow to the fibroids first and wedge into the vessels and cannot travel to other parts of the body. This blocks the blood flow to the tumor, causing it to shrink.



While myomectomy is frequently successful in controlling symptoms, the more fibroids there are in a patient’s uterus, generally, the less successful the surgery. In addition, fibroids may grow back several years after myomectomy.



In a hysterectomy, the uterus is removed in an open surgical procedure. This operation is considered major surgery and is performed while the patient is under general anesthesia. It requires three to four days of hospitalization and the average recovery period is about six weeks. Some women are candidates for a newer, laparoscopic procedure. The recovery time for this procedure is considerably shorter.

What is fibroid embolization?

It is a minimally invasive procedure, which means it requires only a tiny nick in the skin. It is performed while the patient is conscious but sedated – drowsy and feeling no pain.
Fibroid embolization is performed by an interventional radiologist, a physician who is specially trained to perform this and other minimally invasive procedures. The interventional radiologist makes a small nick in the skin (less than 1⁄4 of an inch) in the groin and inserts a catheter into an artery. The catheter is guided through the artery to the uterus while the interventional radiologist watches the progress of the procedure using a moving X-ray (fluoroscopy). The interventional radiologist injects tiny plastic particles the size of grains of sand into the artery that is supplying blood to the fibroid tumor. This cuts off the blood flow and causes the tumor (or tumors) to shrink. The artery on the other side of the uterus is then treated.
Fibroid embolization usually requires a hospital stay of one night. Pain-killing medications and drugs that control swelling typically are prescribed following the procedure to treat cramping and pain, which are common side effects. Fever is an occasional side effect, and is usually treated with acetaminophen. Many women resume light activities in a few days and the majority of women are able to return to normal activities within one week.
While embolization to treat uterine fibroids has been performed since 1995, embolization of the uterus is not new. It has been used successfully by interventional radiologists for 20 years to treat heavy bleeding after childbirth. The procedure is now available at hospitals and medical centers across the country.

How successful is the fibroid embolization procedure?

Studies show that 78 to 94 percent of women who have the procedure experience significant or total relief of heavy bleeding, pain and other symptoms. The procedure also is effective for multiple fibroids. Recurrence of treated fibroids is very rare. In one study in which patients were followed for six years, no fibroid that had been embolized regrew.

Are there risks associated with the treatment of fibroid tumors?

Fibroid embolization is considered to be very safe, however, there are some associated risks, as there are with almost any medical procedure. Most women experience moderate to severe pain and cramping in the first several hours following the procedure. Some experience nausea and fever. These symptoms can be controlled with appropriate medications. A small number of patients have experienced infection, which usually can be controlled with antibiotics. It also has been reported that there is a 1 percent chance of injury to the uterus, potentially leading to hysterectomy. A small number of patients have entered into menopause after embolization. This is more likely to occur if the woman is in her mid-forties or older, and is already nearing menopause.
Myomectomy and hysterectomy also carry risks, including infection and bleeding leading to transfusion. Patients who undergo myomectomy may develop adhesions causing tissue and organs in the abdomen to fuse together, which can lead to infertility. In addition, the recovery time is much longer for abdominal myomectomy, generally one to two months.
You should talk with your doctor about possible side effects of any procedure you may choose.

Is fibroid embolization an FDA-approved procedure?

The FDA does not regulate the practice of medicine, but it does approve devices and medications. All devices, equipment and medications used for fibroid embolization are approved by the FDA for use in people.
Many women wonder about the safety of leaving plastic particles in the body. It is reassuring to know that the particles most commonly used in UFE have been available with FDA approval for over 20 years. During that time, they have been used in thousands of patients without long-term complications.