Managing Placenta Accreta Spectrum: A case report on combining conservative care with uterine angioembolization.

INTRODUCTION: Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) stands out as one of the most significant complications in pregnancy, capable of causing maternal morbidity and mortality. PRESENTATION OF CASE: In this report, we aim to discuss a case involving unsatisfactory conservative care coupled with uterine angioembolization, resulting in multiple hospitalizations due to placental infection and eventual hysterectomy. DISCUSSION: Both conservative and non-conservative approaches have been utilized to mitigate maternal complications and mortality associated with Placenta Accreta Syndrome. While uterus-preserving methods play a crucial role, leaving the placenta in situ can lead to numerous severe long-term complications. Previous Research highlights the limitations of conservative management in the case of placenta accreta, necessitating careful patient selection due to potential morbidity and the risk of secondary hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: invasive placentation poses challenges in obstetrics, presenting a risk of severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Conservative management poses limitations and risks, emphasizing the need for further research and evidence-based guidelines to enhance the management of PAS.

Cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum: Surgeon specialty-specific assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess (i) clinical and pregnancy characteristics, (ii) patterns of surgical procedures, and (iii) surgical morbidity associated with cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum based on the specialty of the attending surgeon. METHODS: The Premier Healthcare Database was queried retrospectively to study patients with placenta accreta spectrum who underwent cesarean delivery and concurrent hysterectomy from 2016 to 2020. Surgical morbidity was assessed with propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting based on surgeon specialty for hysterectomy: general obstetrician-gynecologists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and gynecologic oncologists. RESULTS: A total of 2240 cesarean hysterectomies were studies. The most common surgeon type was general obstetrician-gynecologist (n = 1534, 68.5%), followed by gynecologic oncologist (n = 532, 23.8%) and maternal-fetal medicine specialist (n = 174, 7.8%). Patients in the gynecologic oncologist group had the highest rate of placenta increta or percreta, followed by the maternal-fetal medicine specialist and general obstetrician-gynecologist groups (43.4%, 39.6%, and 30.6%, P < .001). In a propensity score-weighted model, measured surgical morbidity was similar across the three subspecialty groups, including hemorrhage / blood transfusion (59.4-63.7%), bladder injury (18.3-24.0%), ureteral injury (2.2-4.3%), shock (8.6-10.5%), and coagulopathy (3.3-7.4%) (all, P > .05). Among the cesarean hysterectomy performed by gynecologic oncologist, hemorrhage / transfusion rates remained substantial despite additional surgical procedures: tranexamic acid / ureteral stent (60.4%), tranexamic acid / endo-arterial procedure (76.2%), ureteral stent / endo-arterial procedure (51.6%), and all three procedures (55.4%). Tranexamic acid administration with ureteral stent placement was associated with decreased bladder injury (12.8% vs 23.8-32.2%, P < .001). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that patient characteristics and surgical procedures related to cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum differ based on surgeon specialty. Gynecologic oncologists appear to manage more severe forms of placenta accreta spectrum. Regardless of surgeon's specialty, surgical morbidity of cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum is significant.

Uterine Artery Embolization for the Treatment of Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids of Different Sizes: A Single Center Experience.

The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological 1-year outcomes of uterine artery embolization (UAE) performed in a selected population of women with symptomatic myomas and who do not wish to conceive. Between January 2004 and January 2018, a total of 62 patients with pre-menopausal status and with no wish to conceive in the future underwent UAE for the treatment of symptomatic fibroids. All the patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or transvaginal ultrasonography (TV-US) before and after the procedure at 1-year follow-up. Clinical and radiological parameters were recorded, stratifying the population into 3 groups according to the size of the dominant myoma (group 1: <50 mm; group 2: ≥50 and ≤80 mm; group 3: >80 mm). Mean fibroid diameter was significantly reduced (42.6% ± 21.6%) at 1-year follow-up, with excellent improvements in terms of both symptoms and quality of life. No significant difference was observed regarding baseline dimension and the number of myomas. No major complications were reported (2.5%). The present study confirms the safety and efficacy of UAE in the treatment of symptomatic fibroids in pre-menopausal women with no desire to conceive.

Reproductive outcomes of cesarean scar pregnancies treated with uterine artery embolization combined with curettage.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to review the reproductive outcomes of women with a cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) treated with dilation and curettage (D&C) after uterine artery embolization (UAE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study to review women who received UAE followed by D&C for CSP between January 2010 and December 2019 at the Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua in Taiwan. Data were collected from both electronic and paper medical records. Patients were contact via phone call to follow up reproductive outcomes between January 2021 and March 2021. These subsequent reproductive outcomes (including pregnancy rate, secondary infertility rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate, and recurrent CSP rate) were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 53 cases of women who received UAE followed by D&C for CSP were identified. The women's average age was 34.8 ± 5.1 years. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 6.2 ± 1.1 weeks. The mean level for human chorionic gonadotropin was 23,407.7 ± 29,105.5 mIU/ml. The average of blood loss during D&C was 19.2 ± 43.6 ml. The average hospitalization time after D&C was 3.5 ± 1.1 days. Of the 53 cases, 10 patients were lost to follow-up and 43 patients agreed to follow-up on reproductive outcomes in 2021. Twenty-three patients who desired to conceive were analyzed. Nineteen out of these 23 women (82.6%) succeeded in conceiving again and gave birth to 15 healthy babies (78.9%). Only one woman (1/19, 5.3%) experienced recurrence of CSP. The average time interval between previous CSP treatment and subsequent conception was 10.4 ± 6.7 months. CONCLUSION: UAE combined with curettage treatment in CSP patients results in a positive rate of subsequent pregnancy outcomes. This minimally invasive procedure may be considered as one of the treatment options for CSP, as it enables preservation of fertility after treatment.

Clinical efficacy analysis of different therapeutic methods in patients with cesarean scar pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical efficacy of five therapeutic strategies in patients with CSP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 135 CSP patients were included and divided into five groups based on the treatment they received, including transvaginal resection (Group A), laparoscopic resection (Group B), uterine arterial embolization (UAE) combined with hysteroscopic curettage (Group C), UAE combined with uterine curettage (Group D), and hysteroscopic curettage (Group E). To investigate the clinical efficacy of these strategies, intraoperative bleeding, serum ß-hCG levels and recovery time, menstruation recovery time, hormone levels at 1 month after treatment. RESULTS: Patients in group A had the lowest postoperative serum ß-hCG levels, and the shortest recovery times of both serum ß-hCG and menstruation, followed by patients in group B. Group C and D had small amount of blood loss. The hospital stays and costs were low in group E. In addition, the sex hormone levels showed no significant difference among the five groups. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that resection surgery and UAE have good curative effects, but high hospital costs in CSP treatment. The selection of an optimal treatment regimen for CSP should be carried out based on specific conditions of the patients.

Management for delayed diagnosis in cesarean scar pregnancy with hemorrhage intra- or postuterine dilation and curettage.

AIM: This study aimed to examine the characteristics, management, and outcomes of delayed diagnosis of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) with hemorrhage intra- or postuterine curettage for early pregnancy termination. METHODS: The retrospective study, cases were identified from the interrogation of the hospital database and clinical data including the success rate of different treatments, vaginal bleeding time, abnormal beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) time, and menstrual recovery time, preservation of uterus were analyzed. RESULTS: Medical records of 80 confirmed CSP cases with dilation and curettage (D&C) as primary treatment were analyzed; among them, 22 were treated with uterine arterial embolization (UAE) + methotrexate (MTX); 32 with UAE + surgery; 26 with only surgery or resection and repair. Treatment with UAE had less intraoperative blood loss (p < 0.05). UAE + surgery treatment had the highest success rate (96.8%, p < 0.05), the least vaginal bleeding duration after treatment (11.9 ± 9.6 days, p < 0.05), and least ß-hCG normalization time (17.4 ±  7.8 days, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: UAE + surgery treatment is a favorable and effective option to control massive hemorrhage intra- or post-uterine curettage for early CSP termination.

Stepwise Treatment for Abnormally Invasive Placenta with Placenta Previa.

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorder often causes a large amount of intraoperative bleeding in a short period which makes maternal circulation unstable and threatens life. As a countermeasure, two-stage surgery combined with selective uterine arterial embolization (UAE), named "stepwise treatment" was introduced in 2003. At a cesarean section (CS), only the baby is delivered and the placenta is left in situ. The transcatheter angiographic UAE is performed on the operation day, followed by the total hysterectomy on 5 to 7 days after CS. The difficulty in the operative procedures for hysterectomy and the amount of bleeding can be reduced by the added effect of the blood flow interruption by UAE and the uterine involution. Although there are not many indication cases, this is the prudent operation that should be considered for the most severe PAS case such as total placenta increta/percreta with placenta previa. In this article, the practical procedures and tips of stepwise treatment are described.

Clinical assessment of uterine artery embolization combined with curettage when treating patients with cesarean scar pregnancy: A retrospective study of 169 cases.

AIM: Recent years have witnessed an elevated incidence of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). However, the clinical complications and consequences of uterine artery embolization (UAE) and curettage treatment for CSP patients are not clear. We aimed to assess menstrual recovery and other clinically pertinent factors after UAE and curettage treatment in CSP patients. METHODS: A total of 169 CSP patients who underwent UAE combined with curettage between August 2013 and August 2017 were enrolled in this study. The menstruation recovery was recorded, and the factors that potentially affected menstrual blood volume (MBV) were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 169 CSP cases, 36 had asymptomatics (21.3%), 133 vaginal hemorrhage (78.7%) and 19 lower abdominal pain (11.2%). The success rate of treatment was 96.4% with six patients undergoing further treatment. The follow-up assessment was performed in 139 of 169 patients. About 83 of 139 (59.7%) patients had reduced MBV, and 2 patients (1.4%) had amenorrhea. There was a significant difference in numbers of abortions between the decreased and normal MBV group (P = 0.0276). Importantly, 16 of 42 cases who were planning on having babies became pregnant, with 8 from the decreased (8/27) and normal MBV (8/15) group each. CONCLUSION: UAE combined with curettage treatment in CSP patients demonstrates a favorable success rate, which can also reduce MBV and proceeding pregnancy rate.

The Relationship Between Gelatin Sponge Preparation Methods and the Incidence of Intrauterine Synechia Following Uterine Artery Embolization for Postpartum Hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between gelatin sponge preparation methods and the incidence of intrauterine synechia following uterine artery embolization (UAE) for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective monocentric study, we used data from 20 consecutive UAE procedures (19 patients) for PPH, performed in 2007-2016, in which gelatin sponge had been used. The gelatin sponge was processed either into a slurry by pumping it back and forth about 10 times through two syringes connected to a three-way stopcock or into pledgets using a scalpel and small scissors to obtain pieces approximately 2 × 2 × 2 mm in size. Patient information was obtained from medical records, and the data were compared between patients treated with the slurry (n = 7) or pledgets (n = 13) forms. Due to the lack of follow-up data and hysterectomy after UAE, the sample size was 6 and 12 because 1 patient with 2 procedures was excluded. RESULTS: The rate of intrauterine synechia was significantly higher in the slurry group (5/6, 83.3%) than that in the pledgets group (0/12, 0%; P < 0.001). In contrast, there were no significant differences in population characteristics, such as the incidence of placenta accreta, non-placental diseases, and severity of shock (DIC score, shock index, or blood loss) between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although non-randomization and small sample size were the two main limitations, our observations suggest that UAE using gelatin sponge slurry may be associated with a high incidence of intrauterine synechia compared to UAE using pledgets.

Fertility outcomes following pelvic embolization in women with acquired uterine arteriovenous malformation.

OBJECTIVE: Acquired uterine arteriovenous malformation (UAVM) is a rare, life-threatening disease. Angiography with uterine arterial embolization (UAE) is the diagnostic tool and a choice of fertility-sparing treatment. Here, we present a series of five successful pregnancies after embolization of UAVM. CASE REPORTS: Three reproductive aged women were treated for UAVM, resulting in five successful pregnancies. Their past history suggested that three cases had had previous uterine procedures, including second trimester abortion and elective dilatation and curettage. Intermittent heavy vaginal bleeding was the primary symptom of UAVM. One patient with anemia had two ineffective embolizations and achieved a singleton pregnancy after the third embolization. However, intrauterine fetal demise with severe fetal growth retardation was noted on the 28th gestation week. The other two women had temporary ovulation disorder after UAE. After Clomiphene Citrate (CC) treatment, successful pregnancies were achieved and carried to term uneventfully. CONCLUSION: UAE is an acceptable method for preserving fertility and treatment in women with symptomatic UAVMs.

Uterine Artery Embolization for Retained Products of Conception with Marked Vascularity: A Safe and Efficient First-Line Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To report our clinical practice regarding a case series of retained products of conception (RPOC) with marked vascularity (MV) managed with selective uterine artery embolization (UAE) as first-line treatment. METHODS: This was a monocentric, retrospective study of 31 consecutive cases of RPOC with MV diagnosed by Doppler ultrasound in the context of postpartum/postabortal bleeding. The primary outcome was the absence of rebleeding following embolization. RESULTS: RPOC with MV occurred after abortion in 27 out of 31 patients (87%). The time elapsed between delivery/abortion and UAE ranged from 1 to 210 days (mean 55.7 ± 45 days). Primary clinical success was achieved in 23 women (74.2%) following a single embolization. In total, 27 out of 31 women (87%) had been exclusively managed by UAE with conservative success. Although procedural success was achieved in this number, six women had a further procedure to evacuate RPOC despite procedural success. Large uterine arteriovenous (AV) shunts associated with RPOC were observed in five cases (16.1%), among which two were successfully treated after a single UAE and one after two UAEs, while hysterectomy was performed in the last two cases despite two and three UAE procedures respectively. RPOC was histologically proven in ten cases (32.2%) including four out of five cases of uterine AV shunt. CONCLUSION: RPOC with MV can present with large uterine AV shunt, particularly in case of late management. Uterine artery embolization is an effective and safe first-line treatment, and should be evaluated for this indication in larger prospective trials.

Effects of Uterine Arterial Embolization Combined with Methotrexate and Lactate Ethacridine on Related In-dexes of Mid-pregnant Patients with Placenta Previa Abortion / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of uterine arterial embolization combined with Methotrexate and Lactate ethacri-dine on related indexes of mid-pregnant patients with placenta previa abortion. METHODS:The data of 100 mid-pregnant patients with placenta previa who required inducing labor was retrospectively analyzed and divided into observation group(50 cases)and control group(50 cases)by different treatment. Control group received uterine arterial embolization before inducing labor,then received Lac-tate ethacridine injection 100 mg,amniotic injection+Mifepristone tablet 75 mg,and aborted after 2 d. Observation group received uterine arterial embolization after uterine arterial perfusionon both sides,then received Methotrexate for injection 50 mg/side after uter-ine arterial embolization catheter entering uterine artery,Lactate ethacridine injection(the same usage and dosage as control group)+Mifepristone tablet(the same usage and dosage as control group)was given after 12 h. Total parturition,intrapartum hemorrhage,hos-pitalization time,menstruation recovery time,cesarean section,hysterectomy,retained placenta and clearing palace in 2 groups were observed,and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS:Intrapartum hemorrhage,hospitalization time,cesarean section rate and hysterectomy rate in observation group were significantly lower than control group,with statistical significance(P0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications in 2 groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Uterine arterial embolization combined with Methotrexate and Lactate ethacridine can effectively reduce the hemor-rhage of mid-pregnant patients with placenta previa abortion,shorten hospitalization time,and decrease cesarean section and hysterec-tomy rate.

Pseudoaneurysm of uterine artery causing intra-abdominal and vaginal bleeding after cervical conization.

Uterine arterial pseudoaneurysm is a very rare condition usually associated with postpartum hemorrhage. It almost never occurs after cervical conization; however, since ruptured pseudoaneurysm could be life threatening, we should consider the possibility of vascular injury such as pseudoaneurysm when we find a patient with vaginal bleeding after the process of surgical operation. Emergency arterial embolization is a well established therapeutic option to control the ruptured pseudoaneurysm. This is a case report of uterine arterial pseudoaneurysm causing intra-abdominal bleeding followed by cervical conization, which was successfully treated by uterine artery embolization.

Uterine arterial embolization to assist induction of labor among patients with complete placenta previa.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate labor induction after uterine arterial embolization (UAE) among patients with complete placenta previa (CPP). METHODS: A prospective study was conducted of women with a singleton pregnancy (16-35 weeks) and CPP admitted to a center in Changsha, China, for induction of labor because of a fetal anomaly between March 2009 and December 2013. Patients underwent intervention-assisted labor induction (IALI) with UAE, or cesarean delivery. A control group of 30 women without CPP but undergoing labor induction was also enrolled. Hemoglobin levels, postpartum blood loss, and length of labor were assessed. RESULTS: Mean postpartum blood loss was lower in the IALI group (n=32; 301.25±128.07 mL) than in the cesarean group (n=15; 693.33±244.85 mL; P=0.049), but was not different from that in the control group (143.50±16.06 mL; P=0.325). The reduction in mean hemoglobin level was significantly lower in the IALI group (-6.53±2.20 g/L) than in the cesarean group (-8.40±2.17g/L; P=0.005), but higher than in the control group (-0.20±0.35 g/L; P=0.007). Duration of labor did not differ between the IALI and control groups (8.70±2.32 vs 4.76±0.47 hours; P=0.108). CONCLUSION: UAE to assist induction of labor could be considered a feasible option for patients with CPP.

Comparative study of methotrexate and uterine arterial embolization inβ-HCG, bleeding volume and success rate of women with cesarean scar pregnancy after cesarean section / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To explore comparison between methotrexate and uterine arterial embolization in β-HCG, bleeding volume and success rate of women with cesarean scar pregnancy after cesarean section.Methods 42 patients who were diagnosed with cesarean scar pregnancy after cesarean section were collected.All patients were randomly divided into uterine arterial embolization group and methotrexate group,21 cases in each group corresponding treatment were given respectively, after the treatment, the serum levels of β-HCG, bleeding volume and success rate were detected in all patients.Results After treatment, compared with methotrexate group, the serum level ofβ-HCG was lower in the uterine arterial embolization group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05); the bleeding volume was lower in the uterine arterial embolization group(P<0.05); the success rate was higher in the uterine arterial embolization group(P <0.05).Conclusion Compared with methotrexate,the uterine arterial embolization can significantly reduce the serum level ofβ-HCG in patients with cesarean scar pregnancy after cesarean section,reduce the amount of bleeding, improve the success rate of treatment.

Pseudoaneurysm of uterine artery causing intra-abdominal and vaginal bleeding after cervical conization

Uterine arterial pseudoaneurysm is a very rare condition usually associated with postpartum hemorrhage. It almost never occurs after cervical conization; however, since ruptured pseudoaneurysm could be life threatening, we should consider the possibility of vascular injury such as pseudoaneurysm when we find a patient with vaginal bleeding after the process of surgical operation. Emergency arterial embolization is a well established therapeutic option to control the ruptured pseudoaneurysm. This is a case report of uterine arterial pseudoaneurysm causing intra-abdominal bleeding followed by cervical conization, which was successfully treated by uterine artery embolization.

Analysis of the efficacy of three treatment options for cesarean scar pregnancy management.

AIM: To assess three different methods in treating patients with cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). METHODS: We evaluated pre-, intra- and postoperative conditions of 124 CSP patients in one of the three treatment groups, of which 37 patients underwent uterine curettage by hysteroscopy under ultrasound monitoring (group 1), 28 patients were treated with methotrexate followed by hysteroscopy (group 2) and 59 cases underwent uterine arterial embolization followed by hysteroscopy (group 3). The treatment options were determined based on the patients' conditions. RESULTS: Among all three groups, group 3 (uterine arterial embolization followed by hysteroscopy) had the least intraoperative blood loss and the highest success rate with curettage, but the highest hospitalization cost. Group 1 (only hysteroscopy) had the shortest length of hospitalization and the lowest cost, but the highest intraoperative blood loss and slowest recovery. Group 2 (methotrexate followed by hysteroscopy) had the longest period of hospitalization, and other indexes had fallen in between the other two groups. CONCLUSION: Among the three methods, uterine arterial embolization followed by hysteroscopy is the safest and most efficient method without considering the cost of hospitalization. Patients with a low level of ß-hCG may consider choosing hysteroscopy under ultrasound monitoring or methotrexate followed by hysteroscopy. The advantage is low cost of hospitalization; however, patients may be under relatively higher surgical risks and lower first time surgical success rate, especially for patients treated by hysteroscopy under ultrasound monitoring.

An analysis of uterine artery embolization combined with methotrexate in the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy for 31 cases / 安徽医科大学学报

31 patients from Anhui province maternal and child health care with cesarean scar pregnancy ( CSP ) treated with UAE ( before or after uterine curettage) were analyzed retrospectively. 12 subjects with a definite diag-nosis of CSP were offered preventive UAE. 1 case of an emergency rupture of the CSP patient was offered emergen-cy interventional therapy. The other eight patients,who were misdiagnosed as having an intrauterine pregnancy,with the symptoms of active vaginal bleeding were treated with emergency UAE after uterine curettage. The results showed all the 31 patients with CSP were resolved successfully without hysterectomy and had a significant decrease on the data ofβ-HCG. 24 patients received preventive UAE combined with methotrexate followed by uterine curet-tage. 3 patients received a excision of the scar in the uterus after UAE. 4 patients had a UAE combined with conser-vative medication. Results showed that UAE might be an effective means of treating CSP, including treatment in an emergency setting. It decreases the incidence rate of hysterectomy.

Use of second-line therapies for management of massive primary postpartum hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine rates of use and success of second-line therapies for massive primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 91 women who gave birth at Kwong Wah Hospital, Hong Kong, between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2011. Inclusion criteria were gestational age of at least 24 weeks and massive PPH (defined as blood loss ≥1500 mL within 24 hours after birth). Second-line therapies assessed were uterine compression sutures, uterine artery embolization, and balloon tamponade after failure of uterine massage and uterotonic agents to stop bleeding. RESULTS: The rate of massive PPH was 2.65 per 1000 births. Second-line therapies were used among 42 women with PPH, equivalent to a rate of 1.23 per 1000 births. Only 21.4% of the women who received second-line therapies required rescue hysterectomy. A rising trend was observed for the use of second-line therapies, whereas the incidence of rescue hysterectomy and estimated blood loss were found to concomitantly decrease. CONCLUSION: Increasing use of second-line therapies among women with massive PPH was associated with a decreasing trend for rescue hysterectomy. Obstetricians should, therefore, consider all available interventions to stop PPH, including early use of second-line options.

Diffusion-weighted imaging for evaluation of uterine arterial embolization of fibroids.

PURPOSE: To determine whether diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) characteristics could predict the effectiveness of uterine arterial embolization in treatment of fibroids. METHODS: This retrospective study included 17 women (27 fibroids) who underwent uterine arterial embolization for fibroids. MR imaging (1.5 T) was performed before, 1 week and 6 months after uterine arterial embolization. The volume, T2 signal, T1 signal, enhancement after contrast media injection, DWI signal (b = 500 s/mm(2) ) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were assessed for fibroids. RESULTS: DWI signal or ADC, whether before or 1 week after the procedure, did not show a statistical relationship to success of uterine arterial embolization. On the 1-week follow-up, 22% of fibroids enhanced vs. 85% on baseline, P < 0.0001 and DW signal intensity increased. ADC values in fibroids decreased between baseline and 1-week (1.61 vs. 1.53 × 10(-3) mm(2) /s, P = 0.13). On 6-months, ADC continued to decrease compared with baseline (1.27 × 10(-3) mm(2) /s, P = 0.002), but with a lower signal on DWI. No changes were observed in myometrium ADC at any time point. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that DWI and ADC reflected early and delayed changes in fibroids after embolization; however, we were not able to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship with outcome.