do you know about UFE?

Treating uterine tumors can be done without invasive procedures
July 30, 2008

As a physician who specializes in vascular and interventional radiology, I am excited about bringing new, non-invasive, endovascular techniques to patients in the Fox Valley. For women suffering from symptomatic uterine fibroid disease, one such procedure called uterine fibroid embolization provides an exciting new treatment option for their symptoms.
Simply put, uterine fibroids are benign muscular tumors of the uterus. The fibroids can range in size from very small to the size of a grapefruit, and women can have just one or several fibroids in their uterus. It is estimated that half of all women have fibroids, but the majority of them do not cause symptoms. Fibroids are also more common in women who are of African American descent.

Of the women with fibroids some have no symptoms, but others suffer from heavy, prolonged menstrual bleeding and pain. Fibroids may also cause bulk symptoms, putting pressure on the bladder and rectum, causing frequent urination and rectal pressure. Some fibroids cause pain in the back and legs, fullness in the abdomen or pelvis, pain during sexual intercourse, and in rarer cases, an abnormally enlarged abdomen.

When fibroids begin to interfere with a woman's daily life, she often visits her obstetrician/gynecologist to seek treatment. In many cases, these physicians will contact and consult with me about whether a patient may be eligible for the UFE procedure. My specialty is based on using sophisticated medical imaging technology to diagnose and treat disease using small instruments and minimally invasive techniques. Patients will leave the lab with no external evidence that a procedure was even performed.

During the UFE procedure, a patient is given mild sedation. Then, a small catheter is inserted through a tiny incision in the groin into the femoral artery. The physician uses X-ray technology to see, in real-time, images of the uterine arteries, and a microcatheter is inserted directly into the blood supply of the fibroids. Tiny plastic or gel particles are injected into the arteries, blocking flow of blood to the fibroids. Without their blood supply, the fibroids cannot survive. So far, studies have shown that fibroids are unlikely to grow back after UFE.

At Provena Mercy Medical Center, patients who receive UFE remain in the hospital for one night. The mild pelvic pain and cramping associated with the procedure are usually worst during the first 24 hours. Patients may experience mild flu-like symptoms over two to three days as their bodies begin to reabsorb the fibroid tissue. We manage these symptoms with anti-nausea medication and provide antibiotics as a safeguard against infection.

Our patients also have prescriptions for pain management at home, but within a few days most women feel significantly better, and they return to normal activities usually within a week. About 90 percent of women who have had a UFE procedure experience total relief of heavy bleeding, pain and fibroid-related symptoms.

After a UFE, a woman's menstrual period usually returns within a few months. However, for a small number of women who are perimenopausal, the procedure may trigger the early onset of menopause. Many women have had successful pregnancies following the UFE procedure, but a woman should carefully consider the risks relating to fertility.

UFE can be an excellent alternative for women wishing to avoid hysterectomy or other more invasive surgical alternatives for the treatment of fibroids. Women who may be candidates for UFE typically undergo a special MRI examination of the pelvis to rule out other diagnoses or pathologies as well as to determine the size, location, and number of fibroids in the uterus.

Dr. Suveer Tatineni is a Vascular and Interventional Radiologist at Provena Mercy Medical Center. He is board certified in diagnostic radiology and fellowship trained in Vascular and Interventional Radiology. He is a graduate of Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineTreating uterine tumors can be done without invasive procedures
July 30, 2008

here is a very comprehensive web site ask 4 ufe

I have had fibroids for more than 20 years, I have had a surgical procedure to take 7 of them out, prior to having my children. But I have more at least 3, they are in the walls of the uterus and thus I am a good candidate for this vascular procedure. I had a drug therapy to try to shrink them too. so I would say I know a lot about them.

my Mother says my Grandmother had them too, and had them removed ( along with her uterus). the research I have done over the years say lots of ladies have them and may never even know or have symptoms. I have heavy bleeding and bulk in the abdominal area. When I had the first ones removed I had over 80 grams of fibroids- that is about the size of a 3 month pregnancy. These are not quite that large, but are causing severe bleeding and my life has been disrupted by them.

I will keep you apprised of my progress and the outcomes.