Ugh, fibroids. If you know you have them, enough said. If you live with painful, heavy periods, lower back pain, feeling weak and tired, and pressure in your lower abdomen, fibroids may be the cause. Too many women have resigned themselves to living with the debilitating effects of fibroids because they don’t know that something can be done or have been told the only treatment available was a hysterectomy.
“I can’t tell you the number of patients I’ve seen that think the only effective treatment for uterine fibroids is a hysterectomy. I’m here to let them know, that’s not the case,” says Dr. Ryan O’Hara, MD of Comprehensive Integrated Care in Murray, Utah. “Leading medical institutions such as The Mayo Clinic and Stanford Medical Center offer a procedure called uterine fibroid embolization. I’m able to do the same procedure right here in Murray.”
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As an interventional radiologist, he uses image guidance and catheters which are long, thin, flexible tubes that travel into arteries and veins, to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions without incisions or stitches. “One of the conditions I treat through a tiny nick in the skin is uterine fibroids,” explains O’Hara. This technique provides excellent outcomes, less risk, a shorter recovery time, and little or no pain compared to traditional surgery.
Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a minimally invasive procedure that blocks the blood flow that feeds the fibroid. This causes the fibroid to shrink and symptoms to improve. “When we stop the flow of blood to the fibroid, we stop it from functioning,” says O’Hara. “When that happens, it shrinks and goes away, along with the symptoms.”
It’s done in an office setting with twilight sedation. Women go home the same day and most return to normal activities in a week. Approximately 90% of women will find significant improvement or their symptoms in the next several months will be completely gone.
“When it comes to choosing between a hysterectomy and a UFE, the decision is simple,” says O’Hara. “Most women are worried about the downtime and difficult side effects related to a hysterectomy. UFE gives them a better, safer, less invasive option.”
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Benefits of UFE
Preserved the uterus
Lower rate of complications, less pain, lower risk of infection, and blood loss than other procedures
Minimal recover time
What are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that grow in the uterine wall, and while rarely cancerous, they can often be life-altering for those who live with the symptoms.
How do I know if I have fibroids?
Do you have:
Y/N A feeling of bulk or fullness in your lower abdomen?
Y/N Heavy bleeding or pass blood clots during your period?
Y/N Frequent urination at night or during the day?
Y/N A feeling of tightness or pressure in your pelvic area?
Y/N Painful periods or intercourse?
If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, it’s time to schedule a consultation with Dr. O’Hara at Comprehensive Integrated Care to see if you’re a candidate for UFE. Call 801-810-2999 or visit utahcic.com to make an appointment.