Effects of embolic agents with different particle sizes on interventional treatment of uterine fibroids

Objective: to compare the effects of embolic agents with different particle sizes on interventional treatment of uterine fibroids (ufs). methods: one-hundred and thirty patients with ufs were divided into a treatment group and a control group (n=65) by random draw. all patients were treated by uterine artery embolization,with the treatment group using 200 μm polyvinyl alcohol (pva) particles and the control group using 500 μm pva particles. results: the success rate of embolization was 100%. after intervention,the treatment group was significantly less prone to complications such as lower abdominal pain,fever,nausea,vomiting and bleeding than the control group (p<0.05). the follicle-stimulating hormone levels of both groups were similar before and after intervention,and there were also no significant inter-group differences. the uterine and uf volumes of both groups significantly decreased six months after intervention (p<0.05),and those of the treatment group were significantly lower (p<0.05). the two groups had similar physical function,role-physical,bodily pain and general health scores before intervention,but the treatment group scored significantly higher than the control group did six months after intervention (p<0.05). conclusion: interventional embolization can well treat ufs,without apparently affecting ovarian functions. small-sized pva particles can improve the quality of life by shrinking the uterus and ufs as well as by reducing the risks of complications. © 2015,professional medical publications. all rights reserved.