Page 25 - Waterfall Issue 8 2021

inTERVEnTionAL

RADioLoGy

Interventional radiology is a specialist discipline, which uses imaging

guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of various pathologies,

including tumours, using minimally-invasive surgical procedures.
o ne of the minimally-invasive than 3cm in diameter that cause

interventional radiology
severe menstrual bleeding, which
treatments offered at
of life, include myomectomy (surgical
Netcare Sunninghill Hospital seriously impacts a woman’s quality
is uterine fibroid embolization (uFE) removal), hysterectomy and uFE.
for symptomatic uterine fibroids
causing severe menstrual bleeding The benefits of uFE are the following:
and menstrual pain. A uterine fibroid • It is a minimally-invasive procedure
(Leiomyoma) is a benign tumour of and can be offered to patients who
the uterus consisting of muscle and want to avoid surgery or retain
connective tissue from the uterine their uterus. During uFE, the blood
wall. The noncancerous tumour can flow to all fibroids is occluded;
grow on the outside of the uterus thus, the small fibroids that could
(subserosal fibroid), in the muscle of the account for a high recurrence rate
By Dr Dewald Bester, uterus (intramural fibroid) or into the are also addressed versus when
Interventional Radiologist, uterine cavity (submucosal fibroid). surgery is performed where only
Netcare Sunninghill Hospital the macroscopically visible and
Treatment options for fibroids larger reachable fibroids are removed.

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