Uterine Fibroids Health Center

Embolization Effective for Fibroids

The EMMY Findings continued...

Spies says UAE has proven to be as effective as any uterus-sparing treatment, including myomectomy, for the long-term relief of symptoms related to fibroids.

"Women now have a choice, and they can weigh the factors that are most important to them before making a decision about treatment," he says.

Another UAE researcher tells WebMD that myomectomy offers the best chance of preserving fertility, while hysterectomy is the best choice for patients who aren't concerned about fertility, recovery time, or surgical complications and want to make sure their fibroids don't come back.

"Obviously, there is no re-treatment after hysterectomy because once the uterus is gone, it's gone," Scott C. Goodwin, MD, of the University of California, Irvine, tells WebMD. "But UAE has been proven very effective for women who want a shorter recovery time with fewer treatment-related complications."