561.391.1728
UTERINE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION (UAE) AKA
UTERINE FIBROID EMBOLIZATION (UFE)
BOCA RATON REGIONAL HOSPITAL
To schedule a consultation call: (561) 391-1728

WHAT IS A UTERINE FIBROID?

LOCATION OF UTERINE FIBROIDS

HOW COMMON ARE UTERINE FIBROIDS?

WHAT CAUSES FIBROIDS?

WHAT SYMPTOMS OCCUR WITH UTERINE FIBROIDS?

HOW FIBROIDS ARE DIAGNOSED?

HOW ARE FIBROIDS CURRENTLY TREATED?

LUPRON

HYSTERECTOMY

MYOMECTOMY

WHAT DO FIBROIDS ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE ?

HISTORY OF UTERINE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION

SERENDIPITOUS DISCOVERY

WHAT IS A VASCULAR AND INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGIST?

WHAT DOES THE EMBOLIZATION LOOK LIKE?

Schematic drawing of a catheter within the uterine artery and embolization of the arteries that supply the fibroids using Polyvinyl particles

HOW DOES UTERINE ATERY EMBOLIZATION WORK?

ANGIOGRAPHY SUITE aka SPECIALS PROCEDURES

Using modern state of the art digital imaging equipment, the Interventional Radiologist works over the patient, in a sterile environment. This looks much like an operating room, except that high tech imaging equipment is used to help guide the doctor.

THE ACTUAL UAE PROCEDURE

PELVIC ARTERIOGRAM

This is an arteriogram of the pelvic vessels during intial injection. One can see the enlarged tortuous uterine arteries bilaterally.

PRE AND POST EMBOLIZATION OF THE LEFT UTERINE ARTERY


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Injection of the left uterine artery shows enlarged, tortuous arteries supplying the fibroids.

Cessation of blood flow forward to the fibroids, with reflux of contrast to arteries in posterior division of the left internal iliac artery following embolization.

PRE AND POST EMBOLIZATION OF THE RIGHT UTERINE ARTERY

  • Selective right uterine arteriogram reveals enlarged, tortuous arteries supplying a prominent right sided uterine fibroid.
  • Following successful embolization of the right uterine artery there is no forward flow and back filling of the proximal right uterine artery.

PRE & POST EMBOLIZATION ANGIOGRAM

  • Bilateral uterine artery injection again demonstrates enlarged tortuous vessels supplying the fibroids.
  • After successful embolization, there is no further flow of contrast, indicating no further forward flow of blood to the fibroids

WHAT TOOLS DO WE USE TO GUIDE US INTO THE UTERINE ARTERIES ?

  • Angiographic
  • Catheters
  • Guidewires
  • Microwires

WHAT IS POLYVINYL ALCOHOL ?

Polyvinyl particles

Polyvinyl particles (PVA), used to embollize the arteries that supply the fibroids are tiny synthetic "plastic" particles that are the size of fine grains of sand ranging from 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm in diameter. PVA has been used for more than 20 years in embolization of other parts of the body with no known reports of any adverse side effects due to this embolization material.

POST-PROCEDURE CARE

POST UAE AT HOME

UTERINE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION STATISTICS

MRI OF THE PELVIS PRE-EMBOLIZATION & POST-EMBOLIZATION

Polyvinyl particles (PVA), used to embollize the arteries that supply the fibroids are tiny synthetic "plastic" particles that are the size of fine grains of sand ranging from 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm in diameter. PVA has been used for more than 20 years in embolization of other parts of the body with no known reports of any adverse side effects due to this embolization material.

MRI OF THE UTERUS PRE-EMBOLIZATION & POST-EMBOLIZATION

    Six months post embolization there has been interval reduction in size with the maximally measuring 12.7 cm in sagittal length. Notice the decreased mass effect on bladder and bowel with decreased bowing of the anterior abdominal wall.
    Pre-embolizaton MRI of the pelvis reveals an enlarged fibroid uterus with maximum sagittal length of 19.8 cm. Notice the anterior bowing of the abdominal wall and mass effect on the bladder and sigmoid colon.

MRI OF THE PELVIS PRE AND POST EMBOLIZATION

  • 3 months post embolization, there has been moderate reduction in the size of the uterus, measuring 9.9 cm in length with significant reduction in two visualized dominant fibroids.
  • Sagittal image reveal an enlarged, heterogenous fibroid uterus measuring 13.1cm in length.

MRI PELVIS PRE AND 6 MONTHS POST EMBOLIZATION (DRAMATIC RESPONSE)


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    Prior to embolization, arrows point to markedly enlarged 13 cm fibroid.

  • link to source site
    6 months post embolization, there has been a dramatic response, the same fibroid now measures 2 cm

ADVANTAGES OF UTERINE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION

DISADVANTAGES OF UTERINE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF UAE?

WILL UAE DECREASE FERTILITY?

WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE UAE?

WHO IS A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR UAE?

UTERINE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION

MRI OF THE UTERUS PRE-EMBOLIZATION & POST-EMBOLIZATION

Polyvinyl particles (PVA), used to embollize the arteries that supply the fibroids are tiny synthetic "plastic" particles that are the size of fine grains of sand ranging from 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm in diameter. PVA has been used for more than 20 years in embolization of other parts of the body with no known reports of any adverse side effects due to this embolization material.

UAE AT BOCA RATON REGIONAL HOSPITAL

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone: (561) 391-1728

Fax: (561) 955-5015

email us about UAE Website: http://bocaradiology.com

BOCA RATON REGIONAL HOSPITAL DEPARTMENT OF VASCULAR
& INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
800 Meadows Road

Boca Raton, Florida USA 33486

Links to other Uterine Artery Embolization sites:

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