Uterine artery embolisation

Fibroids are commonest benign tumour of the uterus. It presents with bleeding per vagina in most of the cases. Surgical treatment consists of myomectomy or hysterectomy with or without salpingo oophrectomy, with its inherent morbidity, prolonged hospital stay and psychosocial problems. Surgery is not the best option especially in unmarried and nullipara.

Thirty-five patients were subjected to uterine artery embolisation (UAE). Mean age was 35.51 ± 7.36 years. Two patients were suffering from advanced carcinoma of cervix, 32 had fibroid of uterus, one had endometriosis. Three patients were unmarried, three did not have any issue, three had associated haemodynamically significant cardiac disorders, one had polycystic renal disease, and one had hypernephroma. Four patients had multiple fibroids. The UAE was done through contralateral femoral artery puncture, bilaterally, with the help of Judkin's right coronary catheter. Ultrasound was repeated after 3 months.

The UAE was successful in all patients. Mean procedural time was 75 minutes. Hospital stay was 1 day only. Bleeding stopped in all 35 patients. One patient had recurrence of bleeding after 2 months and underwent surgery. Fibroids disappeared in eight patients, decreased in size by > 75% in 11 patients, and by 50-75% in six patients. Five patients did not report back with ultrasound. Two patients had normal delivery after UAE.

Uterine artery embolisation is effective therapy to stop uterine bleeding. It is effective in controlling the symptoms in uterine fibroids and also decreases the size of fibroids. Hospital stay is only 1 day.