PracticeUpdate: Conference Series

BENIGN GYNAECOLOGY

Two trials of uterine artery embolisation confirm high success, with caveats

B rian P. Dromey, MD, of Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust, and D. Balachandran Nair, MD, of Barnet General Hospital, London, both conducted 3-year ret- rospective studies of uterine artery embolisation. Dr Dromey introduced his work by explaining that uterine artery embolisa- tion was rst reported for symptomatic uterine broids in 1991. The safety of the procedure has been established in the literature. Thirty-two percent of women have been reported to undergo further intervention for broid symptoms or procedure-related complications after 5 years, vs 4% for hysterectomy. Dr Dromey reviewed data collected from 2012–2014. Eighty-one of the studied

Two UK trials of uterine artery embolisation performed at National Health Service centres point to success of the procedure, with larger fbroids more likely to need further surgical intervention, report two 3-year retrospective reviews.

patients were followed subsequent to uterine artery embolisation. A high rate of technical success was observed, with only a single abandoned procedure. Of the 81 cases, 52 women (67%) underwent uterine artery embolisation for heavy or painful periods, 21 for pressure symptoms, and four for chronic pelvic pain. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends that women be examined between 3 and 6 months post uterine artery embolisation. Sixty-eight women were scheduled for radiological follow-up. Over 3 years, 61 women (76%) were seen by the gynaecology department after uterine artery embolisation.

© RCOG World Congress 2017

18 PRACTICEUPDATE CONFERENCE SERIES • RCOG World Congress 2017