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Artery and Vein/Vascular Disease
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Woman's Health

Woman's Health Services

Interventional and Vascular Radiologists are at the forefront of new techniques for treating conditions that are unique to Woman's Health. New procedures avoid prolonged hospitalization and require no surgery.

Uterine Artery Embolization Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) for Fibroids
Uterine Artery Embolization is performed by an Interventional and Vascular Radiologist, a physician who is specially trained to perform this and other minimally-invasive procedures. UAE is performed on patients who have either pain or bleeding related to uterine fibroids. The Interventional Radiologist makes nick in the skin at the hip to access the femoral artery, inserts a tiny tube into the artery, and guides it into the artery supplying blood to the fibroid tumor. The Interventional Radiologist injects tiny plastic particles the size of grains of sand. This cuts off the blood flow and causes the tumor or tumors to shrink.
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    • Ovarian Vein Embolization for Chronic Pelvic Pain
    It is estimated that one-third of women will experience chronic pelvic pain in their lifetime. The causes of chronic pelvic pain are varied, but are often associated with the presence of ovarian and pelvic varicose veins. The pain is usually felt in the lower abdomen and lower back, and increases at the following times:
    • Following intercourse
    • Menstrual periods
    • When tired or when standing worse at end of day
    • Pregnancy
    Symptomatic patients with this diagnosis may have treatment by an Interventional and Vascular Radiologist, who guides a thin tube from the femoral vein to the affected vein. The vein is closed using several possible devices. More information is available from:
    Varicose Vein Ablation Varicose Vein Ablation
    Venous insufficiency is a very common condition resulting from decreased blood flow from the leg veins up to the heart, with pooling of blood in the veins. Enlarged, swollen veins are known as varicose veins and are a direct result of increased pressure from reflux of blood. Interventional and Vascular Radiologists now offer a minimally - invasive outpatient treatment for varicose veins.
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    Vertebroplasty Vertebroplasty
    Approximately 700,000 vertebral, or spinal bone, fractures occur each year, usually in women over the age of 60. Vertebroplasty is an outpatient pain treatment procedure performed by an Interventional and Vascular Radiologist for vertebral compression fractures that fail to respond to conventional medical therapy. The Interventional Radiologist inserts a needle through a nick in the skin in the back, directing it under continuous, moving X-ray imaging into the fractured vertebra. The physician then injects the medical-grade bone cement into the vertebra. The cement hardens within 15 minutes and stabilizes the fracture, like an internal cast.
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    Special thanks to the Society of Interventional Radiology, Boston Scientific Inc., and Bard Medical Inc. for permission to reproduce content for this web site.