Uterine Fibroid Embolization

As much as 60 percent of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the U.S. are performed to remove uterine fibroids¹ – even though a variety of uterine-saving and less-invasive procedures are available. One of these is an image-guided procedure called uterine fibroid embolization. Using X-ray angiography, physicians guide a catheter into the uterine arteries and inject small embolization particles to block the artery branches that supply blood to the fibroids. This causes the fibroid tissue to die.²

• Image-guided UFE increases efficiencies and cost savings for the patient, though not necessarily for the hospital. A study in Academic Radiology reported that patients undergoing UFE had a mean length of stay of 0.95 days while patients undergoing hysterectomy had a mean length of stay of 2.6 days. Hospital costs, however, were higher for UFE than for surgery.

• Because UFE involves no surgical incision, no general anesthesia, and no blood loss, patients usually recover fully in about seven to ten days; many can go back to work in three to four days.³ Hysterectomy patients, however, often require a six-week recovery period.⁴

• One study of 555 patients who underwent UFE found that the average length of stay was 1.3 days, average recovery time was 13.1 days, and 81 percent of patients returned to work within 2 weeks.⁵ Almost 90 percent of the women in the study worked at full-time jobs. Click here to view the study

¹ "Uterine Fibroid Embolization," Smith SJ, American Family Physician, June 15, 2000.
² "UFE Safely and Effectively Treats Fibroids," RSNA News, June 2003.
³ "Less Invasive Treatment Replaces Fibroid Surgery," Vogelzang RL, Northwestern University Medical School, presentation for RSNA, June 2003.
⁴ Smith, op. cit.
⁵ "Recovery Fast in Uterine Fibroid Embolization: Most Patients Recover within 2 Weeks," Johnson K, OBGYN News, Vol. 37, No. 16, p. 1, August 15, 2002. Also, "The Ontario Uterine Fibroid Embolization Trial. Part 2. Uterine Fibroid Reduction and Symptom Relief After Uterine Artery Embolization for Fibroids," Pron G, Bennett J, Common A, Wall J, Asch M, and Sniderman K, Fertility and Sterility, Vol. 79, No. 1, January 2003. Also "Tolerance, Hospital Stay, and Recovery after Uterine Artery Embolization for Fibroids: The Ontario Uterine Fibroid Embolization Trial," Pron G, Mocarski E, Bennett J, Vilos G, Common A, Zaidi M, Sniderman K, Asch M, Kozak R, Simons M, Tran C, Kachura J, Journal of Vascular Interventional Radiology, 2003; 14:1243-1250.