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David Burkart, MD, is an interventional radiologist
at Saint Joseph Health Center.
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For women, the chance of developing uterine fibroids sometime
during your lifetime is fairly good. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous
growths that develop in the walls of the uterus. The older women get,
the greater their chances of having fibroids. Women in their 20s have
a 20 percent chance, 30 percent in their 30s and 40 percent in their 40s.
Often fibroids are small and cause no problems, but for some women, including
Jacqueline Murray of Kansas City, fibroids cause pain and heavy bleeding.
"I was having very heavy periods and a lot of pain," explains
Murray. "My periods would last as long as two weeks and I had a lot of
cramping and clotting. I could feel a hard bump when I'd lie on my back."
She says it was about the size of a grapefruit. Her obstetrician/gynecologist
knew Murray had fibroids, but because of complications after an earlier
surgery, neither Murray nor her ob/gyn considered hysterectomy a good
option. Her doctor told her she might be interested in a relatively new
treatment called fibroid embolization. Murray was referred to David Burkart,
MD, an interventional radiologist with Saint Joseph Health Center.
"It used to be women with fibroids were treated with hormones
or one of two surgical options," explains Dr. Burkart. "The effects of
the hormones are usually considered temporary and when the therapy is
stopped, the fibroids grow back to their original size in about six months."
The surgical treatments include myomectomy, a procedure that removes just
the fibroids--not the entire uterus--and hysterectomy, in which to uterus
is removed.
Fibroid embolization is another alternative for women
with fibroids. "I think it's important for women with fibroids to realize
there is another treatment option," explains Dr. Burkart. "Fibroid embolization
is minimally invasive--it requires only a tiny nick in the skin. It's
performed while the patient is conscious but sedated, and requires just
an overnight in the hospital for observation."
In the procedure, a small catheter is inserted into an
artery to the uterus. Tiny plastic particles, about the size of grains
of sand, are injected into the artery that is supplying blood to the fibroid
tumor, cutting off the blood supply, which will cause the tumor to shrink.
Dr. Burkart says 79 to 94 percent of women who have the
procedure experience significant or total relief of pain and other symptoms.
"During the first hours after the procedure there is usually some pain
and cramping, peaking about four to six hours after treatment. But the
symptoms can be controlled with appropriate medications." A small percentage
of patients experience infection.
"With any medical procedure there are some associated
risks, but I believe there are fewer risks with a less invasive procedure,"
says Dr. Burkart.
Jacqueline Murray is glad she chose the new treatment.
She had it done in August 1999. "Each month after the embolization, I
had less cramping and less pain. Now, I have normal periods. It was probably
about three months before I couldn't feel the tumor anymore. It was definitely
a good choice for me."
Dr. Burkart says fibroid embolization may not be the right
treatment option for every woman, that decision is made by each woman
and her doctor. But he adds, "Any woman looking at having a hysterectomy
due to fibroids in this day and age, shouldn't have it-until this option
is explored."
Call 816-943-2345 Saint Joseph Health Center Physician
Referral for more information.
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