Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026

Combination of High Ligation and Intraoperative Embolization Using Polidocanol for Treatment of Varicoceles
Published on: December 22, 2023
Embolization to treat pelvic congestion syndrome and vulval varicose veins
Carine J M van der Vleuten1, Janneke A L van Kempen, Leo J Schultze-Kool
1Department of Dermatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. c.vandervleuten@derma.umcn.nl
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy of embolization for treating the symptoms of pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS).
Methods:
Twenty-one women with PCS who were treated with embolization at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre between 2003 and 2008 were sent a questionnaire about their symptoms before embolization, 2 months after the first embolization, and at the time the survey was conducted.
Results:
All patients completed the questionnaire. Two months after the first embolization, 14 (66.7%) women had some degree of improvement of symptoms. Nine (42.9%) patients underwent a second embolization. At the time the survey was conducted, 16 (76.2%) patients had some degree of improvement of symptoms. In addition to improvements in varicose veins and pelvic pain, there was improvement of hemorrhoids.
Conclusion:
Embolization of pelvic varicosities may be an effective treatment in a well-selected group of patients with PCS. If there is no improvement of symptoms after initial embolization, a second procedure is unlikely to be effective.
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