Treatments: UAE: Walkthrough: What Happens

Admission / Examination / Preparation
After being admitted to the Short Procedure Unit, a nurse will start an IV in your arm, and draw some blood for tests. You will also be given an antibiotic to reduce the possibility of infection.

Procedure starts
At this point, you will move to the table in the angiography suite, and the radiologist begins the procedure. There is a large artery that runs through the groin. The radiologist sterilizes the skin lying on top of this artery with an iodine solution, and numbs it with a local anesthetic. The injection for the anesthetic stings and burns for a few seconds. Then, the radiologist inserts a needle into the artery, and exchanges it for a plastic catheter about the thickness of a piece of spaghetti.

Catheter placement
While watching under X-ray, the radiologist then maneuvers the catheter into the main arteries supplying the uterus and injects small plastic particles which plug up the blood vessels supplying the fibroid. During this process the radiologist will inject X-Ray dye, which helps to show the vessels. During this process you may feel sensations of warmth.

Precedure finishes - Same day discharge
When the procedure is done, the radiologist removes the catheter and applies pressure at the puncture site for a few minutes, just as you would apply pressure to any needle stick. When bleeding at the puncture site has stopped, you will be wheeled to your room. You will be asked to lie in bed for the next several hours to avoid any further bleeding. During this time, you may sit up and eat, read, or watch television. Almost all patients are discharged the same day.

Follow up
Someone from the office will contact you within the next few days to check on your progress. Patients typically see Dr. Kirsch in the office about 2 weeks after embolization to be sure there are no problems and to check on their recovery.

About 3 weeks after embolization, the patient will have a follow up MRI and see Dr. Kirsch in the office to evaluate the results of the embolization. Patient continue to see Dr. Kirsch after one year and then annually until they complete menopause.

NEXT» How is the Pain Relieved?