Elsevier

Fertility and Sterility

Volume 79, Issue 1, January 2003, Pages 128-131
Fertility and Sterility

Uterine artery embolization (a series)
Serious complications of uterine artery embolization for conservative treatment of fibroids

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Abstract

Objective

Document major complications following treatment of fibroids by uterine artery embolization (UAE).

Design

Two case reports.

Setting

University medical center.

Patient(s)

Two women with symptomatic fibroid uteri.

Intervention(s)

Selective bilateral uterine artery embolization.

Main outcome measure(s)

Complications attributable to UAE.

Result(s)

Two patients experienced significant morbidity requiring hysterectomy due to infection and/or partial bowel obstruction resulting from UAE.

Conclusion(s)

Reports of the management of symptoms related to fibroids with UAE infrequently include adverse outcomes and/or complications. The two cases we managed reinforce that UAE is not free of the risk of life-threatening complications that require emergency hysterectomy. Increasing surveillance for complications may help define the selection criteria that decrease the risks of UAE.

Keywords

Uterine artery embolization
complications
uterine fibroids
leiomyomata

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