Al Ain: The painful and risky surgery is no longer needed for the treatment of uterine fibroids — the non-cancerous tumours of the uterus, as an alternate cure has been introduced at Al Ain Hospital.
The procedure is non-invasive that eliminates the traditional surgical interventions for the removal of fibroids and even in some cases the entire uterus.
"This new procedure, uterine fibroid embolisation, is a non-invasive and less painful option available to women who are seeking treatment for troublesome uterine fibroids," said George Jepson, CEO of Al Ain Hospital. It is also a less risky and time-saving procedure, he said.
Uterine fibroids are generally known as tumours in a woman's uterus that can cause prolonged, heavy menstrual bleeding. Dr Gerhard Schwab, Medical Director of Al Ain Hospital, said it could be severe enough to cause anaemia or require transfusion, disabling pelvic pain and pressure leading to miscarriage as well as interfering with fertility.
"Fibroids can cause a variety of unpleasant, life-disrupting urinary symptoms for women, such as bladder frequency, urgency and the need to urinate during the night and uterine fibroid embolisation can significantly help to cure these symptoms," he added.
He said the procedure is performed by an interventional radiologist who makes a tiny nick in the skin, about the size of a pencil tip, and inserts a catheter into the femoral artery in the upper thigh.
Imaging
Using real-time imaging, the physician guides the catheter through the artery and then releases tiny particles, the size of a grain of sand, into the blood vessels feeding the fibroid, cutting off its blood flow and causing it to shrink and symptoms to subside.
Dr Jamal Al Koteesh, a consultant interventional radiologist at Al Ain Hospital's Clinical Imaging Institute, said most women return home the same day and can resume normal activities within two to five days.
International studies have already shown the procedure to be a safe and effective treatment compared to traditional procedure and it also offers less risk, causes less pain and has a shorter recovery time compared to surgery, he added.
Pain control
The hospital has already performed the procedure as a day case under conscious sedation with excellent pain control during and after the procedure. "There's no significant blood loss. There's no big surgical incision and no need general anaesthesia," said Dr Al Koteesh.
He said women need to know their options and make treatment choices that are right for them, knowing confidently that uterine fibroid embolisation could be an alternative to hysterectomy (uterus removal) and myomectomy (surgical removal of fibroids).
