title: Effectiveness of elective unilateral uterine artery embolization: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of elective unilateral uterine artery embolization (UAE) in limited fibroid disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of 1,431 UAE recipients at a single institution identified 76 who underwent unilateral embolization, most in the setting of anatomic variants or technical failure. A total of 28 had intentional unilateral UAE because of unilateral disease on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with supply from only the ipsilateral uterine artery on angiography. These 28 case-group patients were compared with a control group of 28 patients who underwent bilateral UAE contemporaneously. Outcome measures included a chief symptom resolution score, fluoroscopy time, tumor infarction rate, patient satisfaction, analgesia requirements, and maximum pain score. Baseline characteristics and outcome measures were compared with t tests, Pearson χ(2) tests, analyses of variance, and nonparametric tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three-month clinical follow-up and postprocedure MR imaging were available for 25 of the case-group patients. The unilateral UAE group had fewer analgesia doses demanded (28.8 vs 57.5; P = .049), lower total analgesia dose (22.8 mg vs 34.5 mg; P = .029), shorter fluoroscopy time (10.9 min vs 13.4 min; P = .013), and lower maximum pain score (3.7 vs 5.7; P = .003). There were no differences in chief symptom resolution score (2.1 vs 1.9; P = .27), satisfaction score (4.0 vs 4.0; P = .72), or complete tumor infarction (92% vs 88%; P = .64).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unilateral UAE in appropriately selected patients has similar clinical results as standard bilateral UAE and is associated with reduced fluoroscopy time and postprocedural pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Rd. NW, CG 201, Washington, DC 20007-2113, USA.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stall
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nsrouli-Maktabi
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Spies
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004219:District of Columbia; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055357:Uterine Artery Embolization / Q000009:adverse effects; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics