Uterine artery embolisation treats fibroids without surgery. An interventional radiologist guides a thin tube into the arteries that supply the womb and injects tiny particles that block the blood flow to the fibroids, which then shrink over the following months. It is also used for adenomyosis in selected cases.
About 8 or 9 out of 10 women get meaningful relief from heavy bleeding and pressure symptoms, and the womb is kept. Fibroids shrink by around 40 to 60 percent rather than disappearing, up to a quarter of women need another procedure within 5 to 10 years, and its effect on future pregnancy is less well understood than that of myomectomy.
What Uterine Artery (Fibroid) Embolisation involves
A pelvic MRI with contrast beforehand shows the number, position and blood supply of the fibroids and looks for features that would make embolisation unsuitable. On the day, a cannula is placed in your arm for sedation and strong pain relief. After local anaesthetic, a catheter is inserted into the artery at the wrist or groin and steered under X-ray into the left and then the right uterine artery. Small calibrated particles are injected until flow to the fibroids slows to a near standstill while the main artery remains open. The catheter is removed and the puncture is closed with pressure or a small device.
Who is a good candidate for Uterine Artery (Fibroid) Embolisation?
For women with symptomatic fibroids who want to avoid surgery or keep their womb.
- Heavy periods, anaemia, pelvic pressure or urinary frequency caused by fibroids
- Multiple fibroids where myomectomy would be extensive
- Women who do not plan pregnancy, or who accept uncertainty about fertility effects
- Higher surgical risk from obesity, previous abdominal surgery or medical conditions
- Symptomatic adenomyosis after discussion of more modest success rates
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Current pregnancy, or active pelvic infection
- Any suspicion of cancer of the womb or a rapidly growing mass after menopause
- Fibroids on a narrow stalk, inside or outside the womb, which can detach
- Women whose main aim is pregnancy, for whom myomectomy is usually advised first
- Severe contrast allergy or kidney impairment without precautions
Technique options
- Wrist (radial) access: Lets you sit up and walk soon afterwards. Used where anatomy and equipment allow.
- Groin (femoral) access: The traditional route; requires lying flat for a few hours.
- Particle choice: Calibrated microspheres or PVA particles of 500 to 900 microns; selection is the radiologist's judgement.
- Pain control protocols: Patient-controlled morphine pumps, anti-inflammatories and sometimes a nerve block manage the first 12 to 24 hours.
What happens during your treatment
The procedure takes 45 to 90 minutes under local anaesthetic with sedation. You feel little during it, but cramping pain, often strong, begins as the fibroids lose their blood supply and peaks over the first 6 to 12 hours. Most women stay one night for pain control.
Preparing for your trip
One session is nearly always enough. Bring your MRI or have it done on arrival, and allow 5 to 7 days in total so that post-embolisation symptoms are settling before you fly. A follow-up MRI at 3 to 6 months can be done at home.
- Tell the doctor about medication, allergies, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and any history of cold sores, keloid scars or autoimmune disease
- Avoid alcohol, aspirin and anti-inflammatory painkillers for a few days beforehand if your own doctor agrees, to reduce bruising
- Arrive without make-up on the treatment area and avoid sunbeds and strong sun for two weeks before
Recovery and results
Post-embolisation syndrome, a flu-like mix of cramps, mild fever, nausea and tiredness, is common for 3 to 7 days. Most women return to work in 1 to 2 weeks. Vaginal discharge can continue for a few weeks, and occasionally fibroid tissue is passed. Periods are usually lighter by the second or third cycle. Report fever beyond the first week, foul discharge or worsening pain promptly.
- Back to everyday activity: 1 to 2 weeks
- When results show: Lighter periods within 2 to 3 cycles; shrinkage over 3 to 6 months
- How long they last: Lasting in most; up to a quarter need further treatment in 5 to 10 years
Safety, risks and revision policy
Major complications are uncommon, in roughly 1 to 3 percent of cases.
- Severe pain in the first day, which is expected and treated
- Infection of the womb, which very rarely leads to hysterectomy
- Passage of fibroid tissue, sometimes needing hysteroscopic removal
- Early menopause, in about 1 to 5 percent, mostly in women over 45
- Persistent discharge
- Bruising or artery injury at the puncture site
- Insufficient symptom relief or regrowth needing further treatment
- Missing a rare sarcoma, since no tissue is examined
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Uterine Artery (Fibroid) Embolisation in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Uterine Artery (Fibroid) Embolisation, because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Pre-procedure contrast MRI
- Embolic material and catheters used
- Overnight stay and pain management
- Follow-up imaging
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get pregnant after embolisation?
Pregnancies do occur and many are normal, but studies suggest higher miscarriage rates than after myomectomy. If pregnancy is your priority, discuss surgery first.
How bad is the pain?
It can be intense for the first night, similar to severe period cramps, and is managed with a pump or strong tablets. It eases markedly after 24 hours.
Will my fibroids disappear?
They shrink and soften rather than vanish. Symptom relief matters more than the size on the scan.