Uterine Fibroid Embolization What is Uterine fibroid embolization? Uterine fibroids can cause pain and bleeding. These abnormalities of the uterus generally have a large blood supply. If the blood supply to the fibroid is shut off, then the fibroid shrinks in size. With the size decrease, symptoms of pain and bleeding also decrease. How is the procedure performed? A small catheter is placed into your femoral artery through a tiny (3 mm) incision in femoral artery at the groin (ie, the standard approach used for angiography of the heart, etc); this catheter is then guided into the blood vessel which supplies the fibroid. The blood vessel is then shut down using tiny particles which clog the vessel. What should I expect after the procedure? The common side effects after the treatment include fever, pain, and nausea. This is similar to the feelings of having the flu; in general, these resolve in the first couple days, and recovery to normal activity is rapid. More Information Link Uterine Fibroid Embolization is available at the following locations: Mills Peninsula and Seton Medical Center (San Mateo County) Seton Medical Center (San Mateo County) California Pacific Medical Center (San Francisco) Marin General Hospital (Marin County)