UFE: What Women With Fibroids Should Know

Women with uterine fibroids are often told hysterectomy is their only option, but that is not the case. Uterine Fibroid Embolization, or UFE, is a non-surgical option to treat this sometimes painful condition. If you are experiencing the painful symptoms of fibroids, keep reading to learn about UFE and how it can help.

Being Unlucky With Fibroids

Fibroids are benign abnormal growths on or in a woman’s uterus. If you are unlucky, these fibroids grow large causing severe pain and heavy periods. Some lucky women may have them and don’t suffer from symptoms, not knowing they are even there. In fact, it is estimated that up to 80% of women have fibroids by the age of 50.

It seems that women with high levels of estrogen get fibroids, as opposed to those women with low levels of this hormone. Fibroids may run in families, and they can develop when a woman is pregnant and hormone levels are high. African American women are at an increased risk for fibroids.

Symptoms Of Uterine Fibroids

If you are among the unlucky women who suffer with the terrible symptoms of fibroids, we don’t have to enumerate them.

If you are not sure, or suspect you may be developing fibroid signs, pay attention to the following common symptoms:

• Heavy and abnormal bleeding even between periods
• Longer than normal menstrual periods
• Blood clots
• Pelvic pain and pressure
• Pain during intercourse
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Pain in legs and back
• Large abdomen

Talk to Interventional Radiology at the University of Kansas if you are experiencing any of these symptoms and find out if fibroids are becoming a reality for you.

UFE Treatment For Fibroids

Thanks to interventional radiology and UFE, your luck could be changing. If you have been diagnosed with fibroids, UFE could be the treatment that sets you free.

UFE is an interventional radiology procedure that treats fibroids and their symptoms. This minimally invasive procedure uses image guidance to stop blood flow to the fibroid. The interventional radiologist makes a small opening in the pelvic area and inserts a catheter into the femoral artery and guides it to the uterus. Small particles are sent through the catheter that block the uterine artery from providing blood supply to the fibroid. Without blood flow to the fibroid, it shrinks and dies.

Real time imaging allows Interventional Radiology at the University of Kansas to effectively direct the catheter exactly to the right spot to stop the blood flow to one or more fibroids.

The risks of UFE are significantly lower than other treatments, like surgeries including hysterectomy and myomectomy. It is a safe and effective way to remove the pain and issues surrounding fibroids.