Current Evidence on Uterine Embolization for Fibroids

Uterine Artery Embolization (UFE) is a minimally invasive procedure used to block blood flow to fibroid tumors of the uterus. Fibroids are muscular tumors of varying sizes that grow in the wall of the uterus. They are rarely cancerous. However, they may cause heavy menstrual bleeding, pain, and pressure on the bladder or bowel. In these cases, an interventional radiologist may use X-ray guidance to move a small plastic tube into the small arteries which are feeding the fibroids. Then tiny plastic particles are injected into the arteries to block them and starve the fibroid of its blood supply, shrinking it.

Strong evidence for both safety and effectiveness of uterine fibroid embolization has been generated since its introduction. This article examines the best evidence to summarize the outcomes from uterine embolization.

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