Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Uterine Artery Embolization is a relatively new, minimally-invasive (or non-surgical) alternative for women who suffer from Uterine Fibroids.  The procedure is performed by an interventional radiologist, a physician who is specially trained to perform this and other minimally invasive procedures.

The interventional radiologist makes a small nick in the skin (the size of a pencil tip) in the groin area and inserts a catheter into an artery.  A catheter is guided through the artery to the uterus while the interventional radiologist is guided through the procedure by a fluoroscopy or moving x-ray.

Tiny plastic or gelatin sponge-like material (the size of grains of sand) is injected into the artery.  Because fibroids are very vascular, the particles flow to the fibroids first. The particles wedge in the vessels and cannot travel to any other parts of the body. Over several minutes the arteries are slowly blocked.   Once one side is completed, the other side is embolized.

Fibroid embolization is performed with local or regional anesthesia and mild sedation, and it usually requires an overnight hospital stay for observation.  Results suggest that symptoms will be improved in 90% of patients with the large majority of patients markedly improved. Most patients have rated this procedure as very tolerable.

Vertebroplasty

Those suffering from osteoporosis, or the weakening of bone density, often experience painful fractures of the vertebrae, (bones of the spine) which have typically been difficult to treat.

Vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure wherein a needle is inserted through the skin and into the fracture in the vertebrae.

The interventional radiologist is guided by x-ray technology when inserting the needle, which carries a bone cement material that is injected into the fracture, stabilizing the weakened bone and alleviating the pain.   More than one fracture can be treated during each session.

The procedure is performed with local or regional anesthesia and mild sedation, or with general anesthesia.  Typically, the procedure takes one to two hours to perform depending on the number of fractures treated.

The procedure can be performed on recent fractures and older fractures, but best results are obtained with treatment that occurs within one year of the fracture.

Most patients can resume normal daily routines within hours of the treatment and report significant pain reduction in as little as two days.

Endovascular Stent Grafting

When a blood vessel wall looses its elasticity, a bulge or balloon may form.  This condition is known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Surgeons and interventional radiologists at Holy Cross Hospital can treat patients diagnosed with AAA with a much less invasive procedure: endovascular-stent grafting. This advancement in AAA repair provides major benefits for the patient, including a shorter hospital stay, less pain and blood loss and a faster recovery time.

To treat this condition, the interventional radiologist and surgeon work as a team to introduce a stent graft inside the aneurysm to reinforce the blood vessel and reduce the risk of the vessel rupturing.  This minimally-invasive procedure, known as endovascular stent grafting, is performed with either a general or regional anesthesia.  In order to introduce the graft to the blood vessels, the surgeon makes a small incision in both groins.  Guided by fluoroscopy, the interventional radiologist advances a catheter through the aorta to the location of the aneurysm.  After properly positioning the catheter, the stent graft is placed in the proper position within the aneurysm and the catheter is removed from the blood vessel.

After the procedure, x-rays or ultrasound imaging allow the interventional radiologist to verify the stent graft is properly placed and that no other stent grafts are needed to assure the aneurysm is completely reinforced.

The procedure typically takes two to four hours to complete and requires an overnight stay for observation.

To locate a physician who specializes in these procedures, please call 954-351-5999, or go to "Find a Doctor" and search for "Interventional Radiologists".