Central Florida Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles of the Villages
Related Articles
Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in women of childbearing age. They can come with a host of disruptive and very unpleasant symptoms, including heavy and/or painful periods, bleeding between periods, frequent urination, abdominal and back pain, and discomfort during intercourse. Fibroids that grow within the uterine cavity can even cause reproductive problems. “Medically known as submucosal fibroids, they can cause early labor, miscarriage, even infertility,” says Dr. Rolando Prieto, who specializes in vascular and interventional radiology for the nonsurgical treatment of uterine fibroids. “Fibroids are a common problem for many women, and can leave a patient feeling exhausted, weak, in pain and extremely frustrated, to say the least.”
RAO radiologist Dr. Caleb Rivera explains uterine artery embolization, or UFE, a minimally invasive, nonsurgical outpatient procedure used to treat uterine fibroids. “With UFE, we use a sedative and local anesthetic to place a tiny incision in the skin where the leg meets the groin,” he says, “through which we insert a small catheter into the femoral artery and guide it into the uterine artery, which supplies blood to the uterus. Then we inject tiny, allergen-free particles into the blood vessels feeding the fibroids until they close off. Once the fibroids lose their blood supply, they shrink and symptoms resolve. The procedure usually takes 60 to 90 minutes from start to finish and the patient can go home the same day.”
UFE is a highly effective alternative to surgery requiring advanced medical training and experience to be performed safely and correctly. The Board Certified interventional radiologists of RAO’s Center For Vascular Health are medical doctors with at least six years of additional training after medical school. Says radiologist Dr. Kareem Bohsali, “Our practice has been performing safe, effective UFE procedures for more than 20 years. We work closely with patients’ physicians before, during and after treatment, ensuring every patient receives the best possible care.”
If your doctor has diagnosed you as having uterine fibroids and you’re ready to stop suffering from their symptoms, call RAO’s Center For Vascular Health at 352-671-4252 to have your questions answered or to make an appointment.
CENTER FOR
VASCULAR HEALTH
(352) 671-4252
www.centerforvascularhealth.com
