What can I expect from a Uterine Fibroid Treatment?
Uterine fibroid embolization is a minimally invasive procedure meaning that it is performed without surgery. Small tubes are guided from your groin to the arteries of the uterus using real-time X-rays and the blood flow to the fibroids is temporarily blocked. Reduced blood flow causes the fibroid to shrink. Light sedation and pain medications are administered before the procedure and a catheter is placed in the bladder for patient comfort. The most common symptoms following the procedure are mild nausea and pelvic cramping. Patients stay in the hospital overnight following the procedure to ensure comfort prior to going home. The recovery period is typically very short with the majority of nausea and cramping symptoms resolving within the first 1-2 days after treatment. Recovery is typically shorter than for surgery. Some patients can experience increased fatigue for the first few weeks and most see significant improvement in their fibroid related symptoms within the first three months after treatment.