BACKGROUND: Uterine artery embolization for symptomatic leiomyomata is generally safe, but rare life-threatening complications, including sepsis, can result. CASE: A 39-year-old woman with primary antiphospholipid syndrome, who was on chronic warfarin therapy, underwent uterine artery embolization for severe menorrhagia and a 12-cm intracavitary leiomyoma. Eight weeks postembolization, the patient, who had been essentially asymptomatic, presented in septic shock from gram-negative anaerobic bacteria. She underwent hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for a large infarcted necrotic leiomyoma and partial uterine necrosis. The patient's 8-day hospitalization required extended care in the intensive care unit and blood transfusion and resulted in surgical menopause in a patient who is not a candidate for hormone therapy. CONCLUSION: Uterine artery embolization is a procedure not without significant risks. From published case reports, it appears that patients most at risk for severe infection of an infarcted leiomyoma after this procedure are those with a large dominant leiomyoma.
BACKGROUND: Uterine artery embolization for symptomatic leiomyomata is generally safe, but rare life-threatening complications, including sepsis, can result. CASE: A 39-year-old woman with primary antiphospholipid syndrome, who was on chronic warfarin therapy, underwent uterine artery embolization for severe menorrhagia and a 12-cm intracavitary leiomyoma. Eight weeks postembolization, the patient, who had been essentially asymptomatic, presented in septic shock from gram-negative anaerobic bacteria. She underwent hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for a large infarcted necrotic leiomyoma and partial uterine necrosis. The patient's 8-day hospitalization required extended care in the intensive care unit and blood transfusion and resulted in surgical menopause in a patient who is not a candidate for hormone therapy. CONCLUSION: Uterine artery embolization is a procedure not without significant risks. From published case reports, it appears that patients most at risk for severe infection of an infarcted leiomyoma after this procedure are those with a large dominant leiomyoma.