OBJECTIVES: Authors evaluate the impact of intraprocedural complications on successful technical realisation and long-term clinical outcome of the uterine fibroid embolisation. BACKGROUND: The uterine artery embolisation (UAE) has become an accepted treatment method for uterine fibroids. In general, the unilateral embolisation is considered to be insufficient due to poor clinical effect. METHODS: Overall, 165 uterine artery embolisations were analysed (retrospectively-prospectively) in 163 female patients. Intraprocedural complications and their impact on the possibility to perform bilateral embolisationwere evaluated. In patients with unscheduled unilateral embolisation, short-term as well as long-term clinical effects were observed with mean follow-up period of 41 months. RESULTS: The bilateral uterine artery embolisation was possible in 95.7 % (95 %, CI 91.3-99.4 %) procedures. The unilateral embolisation was reported in 7 procedures (4.3 %, CI 1.2-8.3 %) and reasons were following: resistant arterial spasm in 4 patients (2.5 %, CI 0.7 %-5.3 %) and impossible catheterisation due to unfavourable anatomic situation in 3 patients (1.8 %, CI 0.3-4.1 %). Other complications, such as dissection and perforation, did not affect the successful technical realisation. The long-term clinical effect of unscheduled unilateral embolisation was reported in 5 patients. CONCLUSION: The results of our series of unscheduled unilateral uterine fibroid embolisation had high long-term clinical success rate. In way of unscheduled unilateral embolisation, we recommend MRI follow-up and reintervention only in way of persistence or recurrence of symptoms with concurrent MRI finding of residual fibroids(Tab. 5, Fig. 3, Ref. 12).
OBJECTIVES: Authors evaluate the impact of intraprocedural complications on successful technical realisation and long-term clinical outcome of the uterine fibroid embolisation. BACKGROUND: The uterine artery embolisation (UAE) has become an accepted treatment method for uterine fibroids. In general, the unilateral embolisation is considered to be insufficient due to poor clinical effect. METHODS: Overall, 165 uterine artery embolisations were analysed (retrospectively-prospectively) in 163 female patients. Intraprocedural complications and their impact on the possibility to perform bilateral embolisationwere evaluated. In patients with unscheduled unilateral embolisation, short-term as well as long-term clinical effects were observed with mean follow-up period of 41 months. RESULTS: The bilateral uterine artery embolisation was possible in 95.7 % (95 %, CI 91.3-99.4 %) procedures. The unilateral embolisation was reported in 7 procedures (4.3 %, CI 1.2-8.3 %) and reasons were following: resistant arterial spasm in 4 patients (2.5 %, CI 0.7 %-5.3 %) and impossible catheterisation due to unfavourable anatomic situation in 3 patients (1.8 %, CI 0.3-4.1 %). Other complications, such as dissection and perforation, did not affect the successful technical realisation. The long-term clinical effect of unscheduled unilateral embolisation was reported in 5 patients. CONCLUSION: The results of our series of unscheduled unilateral uterine fibroid embolisation had high long-term clinical success rate. In way of unscheduled unilateral embolisation, we recommend MRI follow-up and reintervention only in way of persistence or recurrence of symptoms with concurrent MRI finding of residual fibroids(Tab. 5, Fig. 3, Ref. 12).