LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Fibroids: Patients
built 632 days ago
In general, there was a remarkable lack of high quality evidence supporting the effectiveness of most interventions for symptomatic fibroids. Lack of evidence is not equivalent to evidence of no benefit or of harm. It is possible that some of these interventions are effective in at least some patients. However, the current state of the literature does not permit definitive conclusions about benefit or harm.
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This patient has numerous large fibroids, some of which are subserosal, but most totally replacing the uterine muscle (intramural). The metal probe is pressing on a large fibroid replacing most of the left side of the uterus. Several smaller subserosal fibroids are ... visible.
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Treatment depends on the severity of symptoms, the patient's age, whether or not she is pregnant, the desire for future pregnancies, her general health, and characteristics of the fibroids. Some women may just require monitoring of the fibroid. This requires pelvic exams or ultrasounds every once in a while.
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The major disadvantage of UFE is that while fibroids shrink, they do not go away completely. Most women get complete relief or signficant improvement in their symptoms, but up to 20% of patients may still have symptoms after embolization.
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There have been a number of procedures recently promoted for treatment of fibroids. Some are truly new. Others are being marketed as new in order to promote the sale of expensive instruments, without offering any real advantages. Many new procedures prove over time to be major advances; we may look back on others as not so wonderful. With any new procedure, it is important to look at studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals as well as promotional materials by a physician, clinic, or instrument manufacturer. Ask questions: how many of these procedures have been done in published studies; what is the outcome; how long have these patients been followed? In deciding whether any procedure is for you, you should look at advantages and disadvantages of all available options.
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Recurrence of treated fibroids is very rare. Short and mid-term data show UFE to be very effective with a very low rate of recurrence. Long-term (10-year) data are not yet available, but in one study in which patients were followed for six years, no fibroid that had been embolized regrew
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