Other procedures

Uterine fibroid embolisation

Uterine fibroid embolisation is a minimally invasive treatment modality for uterine fibroids that is an alternative to surgery (miomectomy or hysterectomy).

The procedure is done with general or local anaesthetic with arterial access obtained from the femoral artery in the groin. Particles are injected through a small catheter into the uterine arteries and these block the supply to the fibroids and cause shrinkage of these fibroids over the following months. Patients usually spend a night in hospital, mainly for management of post procedure pain. Post embolisation pain may be significant and therefore we work together with specialist anaesthetists to manage the pain that is usually most severe between 2 and 8 hours after the procedure.

There is abundant information on the following websites and patients are encouraged to visit the following websites:

www.uterine-fibroid.co.za

www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm

www.sirweb.org/patient-center/uterine-fibroids/

www.ask4ufe.com/