A. Aziz et al., TRANSARTERIAL EMBOLIZATION OF THE UTERINE ARTERIES - PATIENT REACTIONS AND EFFECTS ON UTERINE VASCULATURE, Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 77(3), 1998, pp. 334-340
Background. Therapeutic embolization of the uterine arteries has been
successfully used to manage profuse gynecological hemorrhage. In the p
resent study we aimed to investigate whether embolization of uterine a
rteries may serve as a safe and effective alternative treatment in cas
es of menorrhagia in fertile and perimenopausal women. As a first step
, we have evaluated the methodology, patient reactions and effects on
the uterine vasculature. Methods. The distal part of the uterine arter
y was embolized with polyvinyl alcohol particles via catheterization o
f the right femoral artery. Total abdominal hysterectomy was performed
the next day. Results. Bilateral embolization in two patients resulte
d in considerable pain that required morphine analgesic medication and
epidural analgesia. One patient was embolized unilaterally and experi
enced only slight discomfort with no need for analgesic medication at
all, indicating that unilateral embolization is a well-tolerated metho
d. After embolization, angiography showed stagnant flow in embolized v
essels without contrast filling of distal branches. Angiography of the
specimen showed normal vascular architecture in non-treated vessels.
In treated vessels the main arterial trunks were patent but all smalle
r branches were occluded. Histology showed that most of the particles
lodged in small arteries and that arterioles never showed injected mat
erial. Conclusion. The study indicates that the procedure involves an
efficient occlusion of uterine vessels and that unilateral embolizatio
n of uterine arteries is well tolerated.