Uterine Fibroid treatment without surgery

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous (benign) tumors that develop in the womb (uterus), a female productive organ.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Uterine fibroids are common. As many as 1 in 5 women may have fibroids during their childbearing years (the time after starting menstruation for the first time and before menopause). Half of the women have fibroids by age 50.
Fibroids are rare in women under age 20. They are more common in African Americans than Caucasians. The cause of uterine fibroids is unknown. However, their growth has been linked to the hormone estrogen. As long as a woman with fibroids is menstruating, a fibroid will probably continue to grow, usually slowly.

Symptoms

• • Bleeding between periods.
  • Pain during intercourse.
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), sometimes with the passage of blood clots.
  • Menstrual periods that may last longer than normal
  • Need to urinate more often.
  • Pelvic cramping or pain with periods
  • The sensation of fullness or pressure in the lower abdomen.

Treatment for the symptoms of fibroids:

Surgical Treatments for Fibroids Gynecologists perform hysterectomy and myomectomy surgery. Hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and is considered major abdominal surgery.

Myomectomy is a surgery that involves cutting out the biggest fibroid or collection of fibroids and then stitching the uterus back together. Most women have multiple fibroids and it is not physically possible to remove all of them. Fibroids may grow back several years later.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a minimally invasive treatment for fibroid tumors of the uterus. The procedure is also sometimes referred to as Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE). In a UFE procedure, physicians use an x-ray camera called a fluoroscope to guide the delivery of small particles to the uterus and fibroids. The small particles are injected through a thin, flexible tube called a catheter. These block the arteries that provide blood flow, causing the fibroids to shrink. Nearly 90 percent of women with fibroids experience relief of their symptoms.

Advantages

Uterine fibroids embolization is much less invasive than surgery.
No surgical incision is needed.
Patients ordinarily can resume their usual activities weeks earlier than if they had a hysterectomy.
Follow-up studies have shown that 90% of women who underwent fibroids embolization experienced either significant or complete resolution of their fibroid-related symptoms.