Lee Justin S, Shepherd Suzanne M
Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia 20007, USA.
Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Mar;53(1):209-18. doi: 10.1097/GRF.0b013e3181ce09f5.
Transcatheter arterial embolization is a minimally invasive intervention developed from diagnostic angiography. The evolution of endovascular techniques, including arterial embolization and the use of occlusion balloons, has established a role for the interventional radiologist in the setting of uncontrolled postpartum hemorrhage. Arterial embolization of the uterine arteries as an alternative to hysterectomy has the advantages of being a minimally invasive treatment that preserves uterus without eliminating the possibility of future surgical intervention if necessary. Although arterial embolization has progressively become a standard of care over the last 30 years, its impact on future fertility still remains controversial.
