Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE)
Let Montage Health help you relieve the symptoms of painful uterine fibroids with embolization. This treatment is less invasive than surgery, so you enjoy a better quality of life with a faster recovery.
Why consider UFE?
Embolization shrinks unusual growths in your womb that can cause:
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Heavy, long periods
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Pelvic pain and cramping before your period
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Pain in your back, legs, or flanks (sides of your lower back)
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Urinary frequency or incontinence (loss of bladder control)
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Bloating and constipation
UFE vs. other procedures
Embolization has a lower risk of side effects than other treatment options, including:
Unlike some fibroid treatments, UFE targets all uterine fibroids. It works whether you have a few fibroids or many of them, regardless of their size.
What to expect
A doctor injects medicine into uterine arteries to block your fibroids’ blood supply, making them shrink. Within three to six months, your fibroids should get 30 percent smaller. One year after UFE, they should shrink by 50 percent. Eventually, your symptoms may nearly disappear.
Preparing for TIPS treatment
After receiving your doctor’s referral, we’ll schedule a clinic visit. You’ll have a chance to ask questions and learn the details about treatment.
Don’t eat or drink anything the evening before uterine artery embolization.
Day of treatment
- Change into a hospital gown
- Take lab tests
- Receive an intravenous (IV) line for fluids and medications
- Meet your interventional radiologist to discuss the procedure
- Go to the procedure suite, where your care team will attach sensors to monitor your vital signs
- Receive conscious sedation to relax you and prevent pain
How the UFE procedure works
You’ll receive treatment from an interventional radiologist — a doctor who uses imaging guidance to perform minimally invasive procedures. The doctor will:
- Place a soft tube called a catheter in your wrist or upper thigh
- Guide the catheter to the arteries supplying your womb
- Deliver medication to block blood flow to your fibroids
- Remove the catheter and cover your incision with a dressing
Your care team will monitor you for several hours as you recover from sedation. You may go home the same day or after a short hospital stay.
After treatment
Expect to spend a week to 10 days recovering from embolization. Take the mediations your doctor prescribes to ease symptoms such as:
Your first period will likely be heavier and more uncomfortable than usual. You may also notice bleeding between menstrual cycles for the first few weeks. Look forward to experiencing initial relief from your fibroids after about three months.
Follow-up care
You’ll receive calls from the radiology team to check on your health:
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Within 24 hours of the procedure
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Between 7 to 10 days after treatment
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You’ll need an ultrasound and clinic visit in three months
It's important to keep receiving routine gynecological care for the best long-term outcome.
