Women’s Health
LVI — LAKELAND VASCULAR INSTITUTE
Uterine Fibroid Embolization:
An Alternative to Hysterectomy
unnecessary, according to many experts. In
fact, an article in AARP The Magazine called
hysterectomy one of “four surgeries to avoid.”
The vast majority of hysterectomies are per-
-
broids. About 40 percent of women develop
develop them by age 50.1 Their size ranges
from as small as a pea to as large as a grapefruit.
African American women are three times
more likely to have them.2
embolization (UFE), women with debilitating
symptoms like chronic pressure and pain,
heavy bleeding, anemia, frequent urination
and pain during intercourse now have a minimally
invasive treatment option that does not
require removal of the uterus.
UFE is a highly effective, minimally invasive
and FDA-approved procedure performed on
an outpatient basis. Most patients return
home within 24 hours.
During UFE, a specially trained physician uses
real-time imaging to guide a catheter through
uterus. Tiny microparticles are injected into
to disappear. Women who undergo UFE have a
-
cant improvement in quality of life, even over
the long term.(3,4)
UFE is covered by most insurance and is
recommended by the American College of
Obstetrics and Gynecology.
1.Risa Lonnée-Hoffmann and Ingrid Pinas Effects of Hysterectomy
on Sexual Function. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2014;
6(4): 244–251. Published online 2014 Sep 14. doi:
10.1007/s11930-014-0029-3. 2.Am J Obstet Gynecol.
2003 Jan;188(1):100-7. High cumulative incidence of
uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound
evidence. Baird DD1, Dunson DB, Hill MC, Cousins D, Schectman
JM. 3. Smith WJ, Upton E, Shuster EJ, Klein AJ, Schwartz
after uterine artery embolization. Am J Obstet Gynecol.
2004;190(6):1697–1703. 4. Scheurig-Muenkler C, Koesters
C, Powerski MJ, Grieser C, Froeling V, Kroencke TJ. Clinical
long-term outcome after uterine artery embolization: sustained
symptom control and improvement of quality of life.
J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2013;24(6):765–771
For more information, visit lakelandvascular.com.
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