UFE is one of the many state-of-the-art procedures performed by Radia's Interventional Radiologists. To arrange a consultation at one of Radia's convenient outpatient centers please contact:
Radia Vascular Institute of the Northwest (Seattle)
Scheduling Line: 206-320-3100
Procedure performed at:
Swedish Hospital/Cherry Hill Campus or Evergreen Hospital Medical Center
Radia Center for Vascular Disease (Everett)
Scheduling Line: 425-258-4624
-or-
Radia Vein Center at Mill Creek
Scheduling Line: 425-740-2180
Procedure performed at:
Providence Everett Medical Center or Stevens Hospital
Uterine Fibroids: When to Take Action
Most women will develop fibroids...
Approximately three out of every four American women have uterine fibroids. Up to one-third of women with fibroids experience symptoms so severe and debilitating that their everyday life is affected. Unfortunately, many women are unaware that they have fibroids and accept symptoms as a normal part of life.
Uterine fibroids are common, benign (non-cancerous) tumors in or on the walls of the uterus. they are also called myomas or leiomyomas. They can range in size from one-quarter to six inches or more in diameter. As fibroids grow, they can distort the inside, as well as the outside, of the uterus. Sometimes fibroids grow large enough to give the patient the appearance of being pregnant.
Every woman is at risk...
All women are at risk for developing fibroids. The majority of fibroids are diagnosed and treated in women between the ages of 35 and 54. However, fibroids can and do occur in women under the age of 35, even women in their early 20s.
African-American women - and those of any race with a family history - are more likely to develop fibroids than other women. It's estimated that between 50% and 80% of African-American women will develop fibroids. These women are more likely to experience a rapid onset and more severe symptoms.
Problems Fibroids can cause...
Fibroid-related symptoms, such as bleeding and pain, cause women to lose an estimated two-to-four million days of productivity every year. In addition to pain and excessive menstrual bleeding, fibroids may also adversely impact fertility.
Symptoms not to ignore...
Many women dismiss symptoms of fibroids as a normal part of life. Women should speak with their doctor if they experience any of the following:
- Heavy, prolonged monthly periods, sometimes with clots
- Anemia (fatigue due to low red blood cell count)
- Pain or pressure between the hip bones or in the back of the legs
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Frequent need to urinate
- Constipation or bloating
- An enlarged abdomen
If a woman suspects she has fibroids, she should see her physician. The physician should take appropriate diagnostic and treatment steps.
Treatments available...
There are several options available today ranging from minimally invasive procedures, such as Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), to surgical hysterectomy (complete removal of the uterus and sometimes the ovaries). It is important for women to weigh their treatment options - and the implications of each - carefully.
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UFE: Fibroid Relief Doesn't Have to Mean a Hysterectomy
The Procedure...
Uterine fibroid embolization, also known as uterine artery embolization, is clinically proven to reduce the major symptoms of all types of fibroids, including pain, excessive and prolonged bleeding, and frequent urination. It is often performed as an out-patient procedure that lasts about an hour, plus some time to recover from sedation. Compared to a larger surgical incision, the access for UFE is a small incision into a blood vessel on the top of the patient's leg.
UFE is performed by an interventional radiologist (IR), a doctor who uses X-rays and other imaging techniques to see inside the body and treat conditions without surgery.
 During UFE, a patient is given a mild sedative to make her feel relaxed, but conscious. The IR inserts a catheter (thin tube) into the artery at the top of the leg, then uses X-ray imaging to guide the tube into the uterine artery.
Tiny round particles called Embosphere® Microspheres are delivered through a catheter and into the blood vessels that lead to the fibroids, where these microspheres block the blood flow, causing the fibroids to shrink.
Proven Clinical History
UFE was first performed in 1994 and has an extensive clinical history. To date, more than 100,000 women worldwide have been treated with the procedure. Embosphere® microspheres were the first embolic material to receive clearance from the FDA for use in UFE procedures on November 22, 2002.
Clinical studies have shown that UFE provides substantial improvement in major symptoms, including pain, pelvic discomfort and urinary problems. One-year data from the Fibroid Registry Outcomes Data (FIBROID), the largest registry on any procedure for benign uterine fibroids, indicates that more than 85% of women experience significant improvement in symptoms after undergoing UFE.
A five-year study shows that UFE provides long-term symptom improvement in more than 70 % of women treated. The study also shows that patients are able to achieve excellent clinical improvement in symptoms like excessive bleeding and pelvic pain while requiring only a one to two week recovery time.
Risks Associated with UFE
UFE is a proven, safe procedure for treating symptomatic fibroids with minimal risk. Infrequent complications have been reported following UFE. Complications associated with UFE include but are not limited to: short-term allergic reaction/rash, fibroid passage, recurrent/prolonged pain and groin hematoma.
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UFE is one of the many state-of-the-art procedures
performed by Radia's Interventional Radiologists. To arrange a consultation at one of Radia's outpatient centers, click on back to top and call one of our convenient locations.
You may wish to print out this brochure which may
answer some of your questions about the procedure for treating
uterine fibroids without surgery.
Additional information on UFE is available on ask4ufe.com
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