For Women... Easier Way to treat Fibroids

Fibroids
.....a term that causes many women to shudder

Approximately 20 to 40 percent of women age 35 and older have uterine fibroids.

These non-cancerous (benign) growths develop in the muscular walls of the uterus.
Yet, fibroids do not affect all women in the same ways; less than 20 percent will
ever experience symptoms.

It is for those women … the small percentage who suffer from symptoms such as:

• heavy and prolonged menstrual periods or unusual monthly bleeding, which can lead to anemia
• pelvic pain and pressure
• pain in their back and legs
• pain during sexual intercourse
• frequent feelings of constipation or urinary frequency

For those women … there are effective treatments.

The treatments partner two medical specialties—gynecology and interventional radiology—providing a continuum of care for women with fibroids. An interventional radiologist is a physician who can perform specific embolizations such as what may be needed for fibroids and other minimally invasive procedures that used to involve major surgery.

As a first step, women often undergo an ultrasound at their gynecologist’s office to determine the presence of fibroids. Then magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which actually improves the diagnosis, is often recommended. MRI is a painless process and it enables the interventional radiologist, a specially trained physician in nonsurgical uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) to determine which patients are the best candidates to receive UFE to eliminate their fibroid tumors. Performed by the interventional radiologist while the patient is conscious, but sedated and feeling no pain- there is no need for general anesthesia. The physician will insert a small catheter into an artery and guide it into the uterine arteries using live x-rays. Tiny particles are released into the artery, which block blood flow to the fibroid tumor and cause it to shrink and die.

Traditionally, the patient will stay overnight in the hospital and be able to return to normal activities within a week to 10 days.

I will be writing periodically about interventional radiology and related topics of interest. Let us know what you would like to see discussed.

ABOUT DR. SMOGER:

David L. Smoger, M.D. received his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine. He completed his Radiology residency at Temple University Hospital and fellowship in Interventional Radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is board certified in Diagnostic Radiology. He has been on the Main Line Health Medical staff since 2009 and is the Director of Interventional Radiology at Riddle Hospital.