Successfully Treating Uterine Fibroids With UFE

Uterine fibroids are common in women, with 20 to 80% of women developing them by the time they reach 50. Some women are lucky and develop uterine fibroids but experience no symptoms; however, for others, the symptoms can be debilitating. For women in the latter situation, uterine fibroid embolization is a less invasive treatment option that can help relieve them of the unpleasant symptoms caused by uterine fibroids.

What are Uterine Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are muscular tumors that grow in the walls of the uterus. While tumors often bring someone’s mind to cancer, the good news is that fibroids are almost always non-cancerous.

Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids
Not all women with uterine fibroids have symptoms. However, those with symptoms often find them debilitating and hard to live with.

The potential symptoms of fibroids include:

• heavy bleeding
• frequent urination
• a feeling of fullness in the lower stomach
• painful periods
• enlargement of the lower abdomen
• lower back pain
• pain during sex
• complications during pregnancy and labor
• infertility, although a very rare symptom

Risk Factors for Fibroids
Many factors can increase your chance of developing fibroids, including:

• increasing age: fibroids are most common during a woman’s 30s and 40s and through menopause.
• family history
• being African American
• obesity
• eating a lot of red meat and ham

Fibroid Locations

Most fibroids grow in the uterine wall, but they are placed into three groups based on their specific location. Submucosal fibroids grow into the uterine cavity. Fibroids growing within the wall of the uterus are called intramural fibroids, and those growing on the outside of the uterus are called subserosal fibroids.

UFE as a Treatment

One method of treating uterine fibroids is uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). For this procedure, a thin tube is threaded into the blood vessels that supply blood to the fibroid. Once in place, small gel or plastic particles are inserted into the blood vessel, preventing blood from reaching the fibroid. When the fibroid no longer has a blood supply, it begins to shrink.

As with all procedures, there are certain patients who will see the best results. For UFE, those who are the best candidates include women who:

• have fibroids that cause pressure or pain on the bladder or rectum
• have fibroids that cause heavy bleeding
• do not want to have a hysterectomy

Compared to other procedures for uterine fibroids, such as hysterectomy, UFE offers many advantages. One of its biggest advantages is that it is a minimally invasive procedure with a much shorter recovery time, with many women resuming normal activities within seven to ten days.

UFE for Uterine Fibroids

Not all women with uterine fibroids experience symptoms, but they can be debilitating for those who do. UFE offers a safe and effective procedure that can shrink fibroids without the need for a highly invasive procedure, allowing you to get back to normal sooner.

If you have any of the symptoms of uterine fibroids, visit your local physician. For those who have been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, talk to your physician about Uterine Fibroid Embolization with MTV IR; it’s time to take action against your uterine fibroids.

References
Uterine fibroids | Office on Women’s Health. (2022). Retrieved 3 June 2022, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/uterine-fibroids

There are several options for treating fibroids, ranging from medication to surgery. Two common procedures include a hysterectomy and uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). This article will discuss what each of these options are and why UFE may be a more advantageous option.

Hysterectomy for uterine fibroids?

A hysterectomy is a major surgical procedure. In this surgery, the uterus (also known as the womb) is removed entirely. After having this operation, women are no longer able to get pregnant, making it an irreversible procedure. Likewise, having a hysterectomy, especially for women of child-bearing potential, is a large decision to make.

While a hysterectomy is a major surgery, it is a way to completely eradicate fibroid symptoms. After undergoing a hysterectomy, new uterine fibroids can no longer grow. Likewise, your periods and pelvic pain and pressure will stop, and frequent urination will improve. Such improvements in symptoms and quality of life make it an attractive option for many women suffering from severe uterine fibroids.

Because the entire uterus is removed during a hysterectomy, there are several side effects of the operation that a woman must consider.

These include:

• Permanent infertility
• Premature menopause. This would occur if the ovaries were removed during the hysterectomy. Ovary removal will decrease estrogen production, thereby increasing one’s risk for osteoporosis, skin dryness, heart disease, and brain function.
• Sexual dysfunction
• Pelvic adhesion (scar tissue)

There are a few different types of hysterectomies, including a vaginal, abdominal, and laparoscopic hysterectomy. The type of surgery you receive is dependent upon individual factors such as your uterus size.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization

UFE can also be used to treat fibroids. UFE differs from a hysterectomy in that it is a non-surgical and minimally invasive procedure. In this procedure, a radiologist inserts a small catheter into the uterine artery which injects small particles into the artery. These particles stop blood supply to the fibroids, causing them to shrink and die. Therefore, UFE should reduce symptoms associated with large fibroids, such as pain, pressure, and heavy periods.

UFE can shrink a fibroid by about 40 to 50 percent. In addition, it can shrink the uterus by 30 to 40 percent. This can help to resolve symptoms greatly, and studies suggest that between 80 to 90 percent of women experience symptom improvement after UFE. Treatment with UFE is very safe, as serious complications happen in less than four percent of women.

After undergoing UFE, a patient should lay flat with their legs straight for six hours. Women may experience some pain after the procedure, but the most significant pain occurs within the first six hours post-surgery and can be managed with medication. The majority of patients can resume normal activity in a week.

Why may UFE be a better option than a hysterectomy?

UFE has several advantages over hysterectomy. For starters, UFE is a minimally invasive and same-day procedure. Compared with a major surgery such as a hysterectomy or myomectomy, recovery time is much shorter and does not require a hospital stay. Most women can resume normal activities within seven to 10 days after undergoing UFE, whereas recovery from a hysterectomy can take six to eight weeks. In addition, pain management after UFE is likely needed for only two to three days.
UFE is also a more affordable option for managing fibroids. Because UFE does not require a hospital stay, the cost of UFE is estimated to be 12 percent less than a hysterectomy and 8 percent less than a myomectomy, according to the American Journal of Gynecology

Now that you have a better awareness of Uterine Fibroid Embolization, turn that awareness into action. If you are experiencing symptoms of uterine fibroids, see your local physician. And if you have been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, ask your physician about Uterine Fibroid Embolization treatment with MTV IR.

References
Uterine fibroid embolization vs hysterectomy | American endovascular & amputation prevention. (2019, October 31). https://americanendovascular.com/uterine-fibroid-embolization-vs-hysterectomy/
Fibroids treatment. (n.d.). Ucsfhealth.Org. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/Conditions/Fibroids/Treatment

Fibroids are a type of noncancerous tumor that are made up of muscle and connective tissue. They can develop either within the uterus wall or on the uterus, sometimes as just one tumor and sometimes in multiples. Fibroids can range in size from being the size of an apple seed to being as large as a grapefruit. In rare cases, they can get even bigger.
Many women have fibroids, and they are actually very common. In fact, roughly 40 to 80 percent of women have fibroids, but many women will not even know they have them because they do not experience symptoms. Typically, asymptomatic fibroids are smaller in size1,2.

What are the symptoms of fibroids?

The majority of fibroids are small in size and do not cause any symptoms and therefore will not need treatment. In these cases, your provider will simply monitor and observe the fibroids for any changes. However, if you have a larger fibroid, you may experience certain symptoms 1,2.

Are Fibroids Painful?

Fibroids can be painful, but they are not always painful. Typically, small fibroids will not be painful or even noticeable. Large fibroids, however, may cause pain or discomfort. This pain usually manifests as back pain, strong menstrual cramps, sharp stomach pains, and sometimes painful sex.

Can fibroids cause infertility?

Fibroids may cause infertility. This is likely due to a fibroid blocking the fallopian tube, thereby preventing conception. However, infertility due to fibroids is not super common. Roughly 5 to 10 percent of infertile women have fibroids, and 1 to 2.4 percent of infertile women are expected to be infertile due to fibroids alone.

How are uterine fibroids treated?
Not all fibroids will require treatment. Treatment is usually only needed if a fibroid is causing severe symptoms such as intense bleeding, pain, or discomfort. There are a few medication options for fibroids. These include birth control pills or a device called an intrauterine device (IUD), which can help with heavy periods. Another medication is Lupron, which is used in certain cases to improve fibroid symptoms.

Uterine fibroids can also be treated with surgery. A myomectomy is an operation in which the surgeon removes the fibroids but also preserves the uterus. A hysterectomy is another option in which the uterus is removed. Finally, uterine artery embolization is a new procedure that can be used as an alternative to surgery4.

Now that you have a better awareness of Uterine Fibroids, turn that awareness into action. If you are experiencing symptoms of uterine fibroids, see your local provider. And if you have been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, ask your physician about Uterine Fibroid Embolization treatment with MTV IR.

References
Uterine fibroids | Office on Women’s Health. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/uterine-fibroids
Uterine fibroids: Symptoms, causes, risk factors & treatment. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9130-uterine-fibroids
Fibroid & menstrual disorders. (n.d.). GW Medical Faculty Associates. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://gwdocs.com/specialties/obstetrics-gynecology-obgyn/fibroid-menstrual-disorders
Fibroids treatment. (n.d.). Ucsfhealth.Org. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.ucsfhealth.org/Conditions/Fibroids/Treatment