Sagar Apollo Hospital has opened a dedicated Fibroid Clinic, a first-of-its-kind in the country for the treatment of fibroids which affects nearly 80 percent of women. The simple less invasive procedure known as the uterine arterial embolisation (UAE) offers shorter recovery time with no complications, Dr. Naveen Chandra Raj Urs, interventional radiologist and director radiology and imaging department, Sagar Apollo told Pharmabiz.com.

"The main reason for starting a dedicated and full-fledged centre at the hospital has been the increasing awareness among the gynaecologists about a simplified procedure that could be conducted on patients with the presence of an interventional radiologist. The hospital has already performed 90 UAEs before it opened an exclusive centre for the procedures," he informed.

The facility at Sagar Apollo is well equipped and the interventional radiologist will team up with a gynaecologist in the hospital for the removal of fibroids. The minimally invasive procedure takes an hour. It requires only a minute nick in the skin at the groin to access the femoral artery to insert a catheter. Under X-ray guidance the catheter steers selectively into the uterine artery and an angiogram is done to map the blood supply to the uterus and the fibroids. Tiny PVA (poly vinyl alcohol) particles are injected into the arteries and the injection is stopped until the total cessation flow is seen. The procedure is performed on both the uterine arteries and fibroids are shrunk when the blood flow is stopped. The patient is conscious but is sedated he explained.

Compared to the conventional fibroid removal surgeries which requires 3-5 days of hospitalisation, here the patient just needs to be present in the premises for 24 hours as there could be chances of pain and vomiting for which medicines are prescribed. Most women can resume normal work in day or two, he said.

The combined package cost of the procedure for patients admitted in general ward is Rs. 15,000 and for patients who require a presidential or deluxe suite pays Rs. 38,000-40,000.

The fibroids are attributed genetic reasons. It is known to cause heavy menstrual bleeding, backache, pressure to the urinary-bowel bladders, besides interfere with pregnancy by causing mechanical obstruction and allowing less space for the growing foetus.

Dr. Urs who was earlier with Wockhardt Hospital and Heart Institute has performed the largest number of UAEs in Asia since 1997 and has been presenting studies on the safer and cost effective UAE procedure. According to him, the success rate for removal of fibroids is 98 percent. The two percent unsuccessful reasons are attributed due to the spasms of vessels and the recanalisation of the uterine artery by the ovarian artery.

The opening of the fibroid clinic has led several women to approach the hospital for undergoing the procedure.