🎧 What this study means for patients
Minimally Invasive · No Surgery Required
Charleston, WV
Minimally invasive treatment for uterine fibroids and adenomyosis.
We focus on minimally invasive, image-guided treatments designed to relieve heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, and pressure — and help you get back to the life you love, without major surgery.
Understanding Your Condition
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths of the uterus that affect up to 80% of women by age 50. They can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, pressure, and difficulty with fertility. Adenomyosis — a related condition where uterine lining grows into the muscle wall — causes similar symptoms and can also be treated with UAE.
Common Symptoms
Know Your Options
There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for fibroids. Understanding the full range of options — and their tradeoffs — helps you make an informed decision with your doctor.
If you are struggling with abnormal uterine bleeding from fibroids or adenomyosis and considering your next step, there are several treatment options available.
Options include Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE), Myomectomy (surgical removal of fibroids), Hysterectomy (surgical removal of the entire uterus), and Transcervical Ablation (Sonata).
| UAE OUR FOCUS | Myomectomy |
|---|
| UAE HIGHLIGHTED | Myomectomy | Hysterectomy | Transcervical Ablation |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procedure Basics | ||||
| Same-day procedure? | Often yes 0–1 day |
Usually no 1–4 days |
Usually no 1–5 days |
Usually yes outpatient |
| Surgical incision? | None | Yes | Yes | None |
| Type of anesthesia | None — sedation only | General anesthesia | General anesthesia | Varies |
| Treats multiple fibroids at once? | Yes | Possibly | Yes | Possibly |
| Works for adenomyosis? | Yes | No | Yes | Not FDA approved |
| Risk of blood transfusion | Very low | Low to moderate | Low to moderate | Very low |
| Recovery & Quality of Life | ||||
| Return to normal activities | ~1 week | 2–6 weeks | 2–6 weeks | ~3 days |
| No heavy lifting for… | 2 days | 2–4 weeks | 2–6 weeks | 5–7 days |
| Preserves uterus? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Long-term pelvic floor & prolapse risk | Very low | Very low | Higher | Very low |
| Long-term bowel obstruction risk | Very low | Low | Higher | Very low |
| Effectiveness | ||||
| Bleeding improvement (fibroids) | ~90% | ~85% | Definitive | ~85% |
| Bleeding improvement (adenomyosis) | ~85% | Not used | Definitive | Not used |
| Pain / pelvic pressure improvement | ~80% | Often improves | ~95% | Often improves |
| Bulk / urinary symptom improvement | Usually improves | Often improves | Definitive | Often improves |
| Need another procedure within 5 years | ~15% | ~20% | <5% | ~25% |
| Long-term data available | Strong (25+ years) |
Strong | Longest track record | Limited |
| Other Considerations | ||||
| Fertility after procedure | Possible but limited data | Preferred option | No | Not studied |
| Other procedures still possible later? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
* This table is for education only. The best treatment depends on your symptoms, fibroid size and location, adenomyosis status, prior surgeries, medical history, and pregnancy goals. A specialist can help match the treatment to your priorities.
These figures represent approximate population-level averages from published literature and may vary by individual. For educational purposes only.
The UAE Procedure
UAE is a minimally invasive procedure that treats fibroids and adenomyosis by cutting off their blood supply — no surgical incisions, no general anesthesia required.
Through a small puncture in an artery in the wrist or groin, a thin catheter is guided into the body's blood vessels — no incision, no stitches.
Using real-time imaging, the catheter is guided to the uterine arteries on both sides — the vessels that feed the fibroids.
Microspheres — about the size of grains of sand — are injected to block blood flow to the fibroids and adenomyosis tissue.
Without their blood supply, fibroids shrink over weeks to months — relieving bleeding, pain, pressure, and bulk symptoms.
Who Qualifies
UAE may be appropriate for women who have symptomatic fibroids or adenomyosis and are looking for an effective, non-surgical alternative to hysterectomy or myomectomy.
Good candidates typically include women who have not had relief from hormonal medications, wish to preserve their uterus, or prefer to avoid the risks and recovery of major surgery.
No referral needed.
You do not need a referral from another physician to be evaluated for UAE. Simply request information below and we will be in touch.
Patients who may benefit include:
Patient Education
Click any question to learn more. Images and explanations from Dr. Deipolyi.
The UAE Experience
From your first clinic visit to your follow-up appointments, here is what the UAE journey typically looks like.
Latest Research
Click any article to explore the latest published research on UAE for fibroids and adenomyosis.
The landmark randomized EMMY trial followed women for 10 years comparing UAE to hysterectomy — showing durable symptom control and patient satisfaction comparable to surgery.
A national study of 78,758 women treated for fibroids and adenomyosis found UAE was associated with 4× lower pelvic floor prolapse and 2–3× lower bowel obstruction compared to hysterectomy.
The first randomized controlled trial comparing UAE to dienogest (hormonal medication) for adenomyosis — UAE achieved 93% pain resolution and 90% bleeding resolution vs. 67% and 57% with medication.
Your Physicians
Our interventional radiologists see patients at our office in Charleston, West Virginia. No referral is needed to schedule a consultation.
Dr. Deipolyi is a board-certified interventional radiologist and Division Chief of Interventional Radiology at CAMC in Charleston, WV. With over 12 years of experience, she specializes in image-guided treatments for women's health including uterine artery embolization for fibroids and adenomyosis, and leads an active clinical research program.
Dr. Korona is a board-certified interventional radiologist with over 30 years of experience. He brings a wealth of expertise in minimally invasive vascular and interventional procedures including UAE, and sees patients alongside Dr. Deipolyi in Charleston, WV.