Better Care for Uterine Fibroids

Sabrina Figueroa: Walking feels good, and it's a way to de-stress, kind of de-stress, before I go home. Jennifer Matthews: But a painful fibroid the size of an orange got in the way of Sabrina Figueroa's past time. Sabrina Figueroa: The major symptom that I had was the pressure on my bladder and frequent urination. Dr. Bruce Zwiebel: Many, many women have fibroids. The question of symptoms, when that presents itself, then, it's an issue of whether they should be treated or not. Jennifer Matthews: Hormone therapy can help shrink fibroids, and a myomectomy removes them. A hysterectomy is often a last resort. Dr. Bruce Zwiebel: The number of hysterectomies performed in the U.S. per year is in the neighborhood of 600,000; 200,000 of which are performed because of fibroids. Jennifer Matthews: Doctor Bruce Zwiebel says uterine fibroid embolization has gained popularity as an alternative because it's less painful and less invasive. Dr. Bruce Zwiebel: One of the main advantages is you can treat multiple fibroids at multiple different locations. Jennifer Matthews: Now, new key players are these tiny beads called microspheres. Unlike larger materials used to cut off blood flow, the microspheres block smaller vessels by going further into the artery. Dr. Bruce Zwiebel: And the uterine tissue, the muscle, or lining of the uterus, remains intact and takes up contrast, meaning that there's still blood flow to those areas. Jennifer Matthews: Total shrinkage of the fibroids can take up to six months. But just a week after treatment, Sabrina noticed a difference. Sabrina Figueroa: The first night and second night I think I slept through the night. Jennifer Matthews: And during the day, she can walk without worrying about the pit stops. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.