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It's been nearly three years since HealthWorks first
reported about a fairly new treatment for uterine fibroids being
done by David Burkart, MD, and John Borsa, MD, interventional radiologistswith
Saint Joseph Health Center.
Since that report, the treatment has become more common and recently
the Food and Drug Administration gave the go ahead to the company
to market the tiny beads used in the procedure.
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that develop in the walls
of the uterus. The older women get, the greater their chances of
having fibroids. In some women the condition causes heavy bleeding
and painful periods. Until a few years ago, surgery was the most
common treatment. A woman's options were a hysterectomy, surgical
removal of the entire uterus, or myomectomy, a procedure that removes
just the fibroids--not the entire uterus.
Now, women have another option in fibroid embolization. "Studies
have shown uterine fibroid embolization compares favorably to surgical
alternatives and it's minimally invasive," says Dr. Burkart.
"There is less risk, less pain and shorter recovery time-plus,
it's less expensive."
In the procedure, a small catheter is inserted into an artery to
the uterus. Tiny plastic beads 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."
Patients usually require an overnight hospital stay for observation.
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."
David Burkart, MD, is an interventional radiologist at Saint Joseph
Health Center. For more information, call Saint Joseph Health Center
Physician Referral at 816-943-2345.
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