Outcome in patients undergoing unilateral uterine artery embolization for symptomatic fibroids.

AIMS: To evaluate patients undergoing uterine artery embolization for symptomatic fibroids who, for technical reasons, underwent unilateral rather than bilateral embolization.

PATIENTS: Prospective data were collected on 109 patients undergoing uterine artery embolization for symptomatic fibroids. Of these, six underwent unilateral embolization. They were followed with ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3, 6 and 12 months. Patients' histories were reviewed and patients were asked to evaluate their symptoms at 3, 6 and 12 months on a scoring system, which scored their pre-embolization symptoms as 10.

RESULTS

In one case the patient's symptoms did not change in the first 3 months. This patient underwent a second embolization procedure to occlude the non-embolized uterine artery. In four cases the patients' symptoms had begun to resolve at 3 months and by 12 months the patients no longer required any further treatment. In one case the patient passed a 10 cm fibroid per vagina 2 months post uterine artery embolization. After this the patient had a normal uterus on MRI and no further symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Where planned bilateral uterine artery embolization is not possible for technical reasons and a unilateral embolization only is performed a conservative approach is indicated.