Uterine fibroids can cause severe bleeding and pain for some women. Major abdominal surgery with removal of the fibroid or the uterus is one type of treatment, but another, less invasive procedure is called uterine fibroid embolization, where a doctor injects material into the arteries that supply the fibroids in the uterus, and the resulting lack of blood supply causes the fibroids to die. Although this procedure is minimally invasive, uterine fibroid embolization does have some potential side effects.
Pain and Cramping
In the first hours after the uterine fibroid embolization, women typically suffer significant pain and cramping, according to the Virginia Mason Medical Center. Patients may require pain medication like morphine during this period; some hospitals place patients on a patient-controlled analgesia, or PCA pump, according to MayoClinic.com. After one day, the pain medication can typically be changed to an oral medication.
Post-Embolization Syndrome
Many women experience a condition called post-embolization syndrome after a uterine fibroid embolization procedure. This syndrome includes fever, nausea, fatigue and vomiting, according to MayoClinic.com. The breakdown of the fibroids may cause the release of inflammatory materials that trigger the post-embolization reaction. Doctors must make sure that these symptoms are not signs of an infection.
Infection
Development of an infection after uterine fibroid embolization is rare. However, signs of infection include fever, discharge from the vagina and an increased white cell count, according to MayoClinic.com. This condition is treated with IV antibiotics. According to the Radiological Society of North America, the risk of infection after this procedure is around 1 in 1,000.
Early Onset Menopause
Some women stop having menstrual cycles and enter early menopause after uterine fibroid embolization, according to the Hampton Roads Center for Fibroid Embolization. For women under the age of 40, the risk of amenorrhea is about 1 to 2 percent, but the risk is significantly higher in women over the age of 45--15 to 20 percent.
