Hysterectomy alternative

For two years Kesha Byrd suffered with severe cramps, and a menstrual flow so heavy she feared overnight pads wouldn't be enough.

"The fibroids were so horrible that one of the fibroids was pushing down on my uterus and bladder and every two or three seconds I would just be constantly going to the restroom," she said.

One option her Gynecologist presented was a hysterectomy.

"And of course being 28 I was distraught because I love kids and i've always wanted to have my own," Kesha said.

She opted instead for uterine fibroid embolization. Interventional Radiologist Victor Lewis does up to 10 a week at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center.

"Our mission when we do a uterine fibroid embolization is to cut off blood flow to the fibroids," he told us.

The doctor makes a tiny incision near the groin, inserts a catheter and feeds tiny particles through it to the arteries that supply blood to the fibroids. The particles are no bigger then a grain of sand and back up in the artery to block blood flow.

"Once the blood supply is cut off to the fibroids, the fibroids no longer function," said Dr. Lewis.

Which means Kesha doesn't feel the pain and since she still has her uterus she still has her dreams of motherhood.

"I see that I will have children, so I'm very Very pleased, very happy, I'm overwhelmed!"

Like any procedure there is some risk involved with UFE, including infection. In severe cases it may require a hysterectomy, but most women go home the next day and are recovered in a couple of weeks versus a couple of months with a hysterectomy.

Related Links:

Chesapeake Regional Medical Center

Society of Interventional Radiology

BioSphere Medical