Uterine Artery Embolization

FACTS

Experimental

Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE), also called Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), is an experimental surgery currently being promoted as an alternative to hysterectomy or myomectomy as a treatment for uterine fibroids. This surgery uses a technique called embolization: a mass of microspheres (tris-acryl gelatin) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) material (an embolus) is injected into the uterine arteries in order to block the flow of blood through those vessels. The microsphere gelatin or PVA remains permanently in the uterine arteries. UAE attempts to shrink fibroids by cutting off their blood supply.

Invasive

First, an incision is made in the groin. Another incision is then made in the femoral artery. A catheter is inserted into the groin and pushed through the femoral artery, and into the uterine artery, where 300 to 1200µm microspheres (tris-acryl gelatin) or 300 to 700µm polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles (plastic) are permanently lodged inside the uterine artery.

Unreliable

Women are told that as the blood supply to the uterine arteries and fibroids is stopped, the fibroids will begin to shrink, become necrotic and die. However, not all fibroids do shrink. Continued growth of fibroids four years after embolization has been reported.

The Following Adverse Effects Have Been Reported In Medical Publications:

• Death – from embolism, or septicemia (the presence of pus-forming or other pathogenic organisms, or their toxins, in the blood or tissues) resulting in multiple organ failure.
• Infection – from tissue death of fibroids, leading to endometritis (infection of the uterus) resulting in lengthy hospitalization for administration of intravenous antibiotics
• Misembolization – microspheres or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles flow or drift into organs or tissues where they were not intended to be, causing damage to other organs or other parts of the body
• Ovarian damage – resulting from embolic material migrating to the ovaries
• Loss of ovarian function
• Infertility – loss of ability to conceive
• Loss of orgasm
• Failure of embolization surgery – continued fibroid growth, regrowth within four months
• Menopause – iatrogenic, abnormal, cessation of menstruation and follicle stimulating hormones elevated to menopausal levels
• Post-Embolization Syndrome (PES) – characterized by acute and/or chronic pain, temperatures of up to 102 degrees, malaise, nausea, vomiting and severe night sweats
• Foul vaginal odor – coming from infected, necrotic tissue which remains inside the uterus
• Hysterectomy – due to infection, pain or failure of embolization
• Pain – severe, persistent pain, resulting in the need for morphine or synthetic narcotics
• Hematoma – blood clot at the incision site
• Vaginal discharge – containing pus and blood
• Bleeding from incision site
• Bleeding from vagina
• Fibroid expulsion – fibroids pushing out through the vagina
• Unsuccessful fibroid expulsion – fibroid trapped in the cervix causing infection requiring surgical removal
• Life threatening allergic reaction to the contrast material
• Uterine adhesions

Long Term Effects

The long-term effects of embosphere microspheres or polyvinyl alcohol particles remaining permanently in the uterine arteries or elsewhere in women’s bodies is currently unknown. It should be noted that this “unknown” status was also used to describe the early introduction of a number of women’s treatments which proved later to be catastrophic: diethylstilbestrol (DES) given to prevent miscarriage, was ultimately shown not to prevent miscarriage but to lead to breast cancer in many of the women who took it, vaginal cancers and infertility in the daughters they gave birth to and testicular cancer and infertility in their sons; the intrauterine device (IUD), which caused life-threatening pelvic infection, infertility, and hysterectomy in many women; silicone breast implants which may lead to autoimmune disease; and Thalidomide, which caused malformed babies, born with incomplete or missing limbs.

Although the adverse effects listed have been documented in medical journals, it should be noted that long term effects emerge over time. UAE is too new to know what the additional long-term effects will be.

For more information, watch the short video “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs.”