Uterine artery embolization under electroacupuncture for uterine leiomyomas.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether electroacupuncture is a safe and effective alternative to pharmacologic sedation/analgesia in uterine artery embolization (UAE) for leiomyomas.


METHODS
A nonrandomized prospective study was undertaken in 70 consecutive patients (mean age, 39.5 years) undergoing UAE with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles between August 2006 and January 2007. Thirty-three patients chose to undergo UAE under electroacupuncture anesthesia (EAA; group A) and 37 were treated under local pharmacologic anesthesia (group B). Pain scores (rated from 0 to 10) in both groups were compared during and after the procedure. The outcome of UAE was evaluated at 6 months.


RESULTS
Mean pain scores during embolization were 0.36 in group A and 0.84 in group B; scores after embolization and before discharge were 3.00 in group A and 4.49 in group B; and scores at discharge were 0.97 in group A and 2.11 in group B. These differences were statistically significant after embolization and at hospital discharge (P= .02 and P= .0001, respectively). All patients except one in each group were discharged from the hospital 4-8 hours after UAE; the two who remained longer had severe pain. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes, nor in uterine and leiomyoma volumes, at discharge and at 6 months (P > 0.99 and P= .72, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a statistically significant postembolization pain reduction in patients treated under EAA versus local pharmacologic anesthesia and no differences in UAE outcomes between groups at 6 months.
Pisco
João M
JM
Department of Radiology, St. Louis Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. joao.pisco@hpv.min-saude.pt
Tsuchiya
Mitsuharu
M
Bilhim
Tiago
T
Duarte
Marisa
M
Santos
Daniela
D
Oliveira
Antonio G
AG
D000328:Adult; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055357:Uterine Artery Embolization / Q000379:methods*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*