Uterine Fibroids Treatment
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Medications may be used to shrink the fibroids. Many women with fibroids are told they need a hysterectomy, surgery to remove the uterus, and about a third to a half of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed each year in the U.S. are for fibroids. For many patients, though, a less invasive uterine sparing alternative called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is an option.
During uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), a medical specialist called an interventional radiologist cuts off the blood supply to fibroids, so that they gradually shrink. Doctors begin the procedure by inserting a tiny tube called a catheter into an artery at the top of the leg. They guide the catheter into the uterine artery, map the arteries feeding the fibroids with an arteriogram (an x-ray in which a dye is injected into the arteries), then inject microspheres the size of grains of sand through the catheter and into the fibroids to block their blood supply. The fibroids begin to shrink, and many women experience rapid relief from their symptoms. The procedure takes about an hour and the recovery time is significantly less than traditional surgery. Unlike in hysterectomy, the uterus and ovaries are spared. Studies show that most women who undergo UFE experience either significant or complete resolution of their symptoms over time, and fibroids rarely return.
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Surgery is not necessary for all uterine fibroids. Certain medicines or simple monitoring may be advised in some cases. Watch the video to learn more about treatments for fibroids.
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Uterine artery embolization (or UFE) is the process when a doctor inserts a catheter to help destroy the blood supply of the fibroid.
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Yes ! In fact hysterectomy is largely unnecessary in the treatment of uterine fibroids which are benign, non-cancerous tumors. There is a significant value for women if they can keep their uterus which is underappreciated by some healthcare providers. The uterus is important for a woman psychologically, sexually, and is important for her bone and cardiovascular health.
There are a number of medicines that can be tried to relieve the symptoms of fibroids (exs. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, oral contraceptive pills) which can help but in many cases are short-term fixes.
A non-surgical procedure called Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) can effectively treat all of the fibroids in the uterus. The procedure is performed by Interventional Radiologists which are physicians specifically trained in less invasive, non-surgical treatments using image (ex. x-ray) guidance. The procedure is often performed as an outpatient and is safer, less invasive, and less recovery time than surgery and allows a woman to keep her uterus.
A newer non-surgical procedure to treat a few fibroids in the uterus is called MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS). It can treat up to 3 fibroids and performed as an outpatient. The three limiting factors for MRgFUS are that most insurances don't cover this procedure, only a handful of centers in the country have this equipment, and the physician time necessary to perform this procedure is high (often 3-4 hours).
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