New Ways to Improve Treatment of Uterine Fibroids, Under Trial at U Penn

Filed in archive Diagnostics , Studies , Treatment on June 18, 2006

It has been previously established in the medical community that Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) works well to relieve the symptoms of uterine fibroids. Now, researchers at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine are working to optimize this procedure and are examining the overall effectiveness of different agents used to destroy uterine fibroids.

"We already know that UFE has an 85-90% success rate, offering less complications and a shorter recovery time than surgical options," Richard Shlansky-Goldberg, MD, Interventional Radiologist at Penn and Principal Investigator of this study, explains, "So in 2006, the question becomes, now that we know the procedure is effective and durable, 'Which product would be better?'"

Affecting an estimated 20-40% of women, uterine fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) tumors of the uterus, causing symptoms that can disrupt a woman's quality of life that when left untreated can cause infertility.

The treatment for uterine fibroids depends upon the size and location of the fibroids and the severity of symptoms. Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), also known as uterine artery embolization (UAE), is a minimally invasive alternative to a hysterectomy and is a proven way to treat fibroids and relieve its symptoms of heavy bleeding, pressure, pain, and excessive urination.

Read more at EurekAlert.

Photo Credit: NUFF