Embolization to treat pelvic congestion syndrome and vulval varicose veins.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of embolization for treating the symptoms of pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS).


METHODS
Twenty-one women with PCS who were treated with embolization at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre between 2003 and 2008 were sent a questionnaire about their symptoms before embolization, 2 months after the first embolization, and at the time the survey was conducted.


RESULTS
All patients completed the questionnaire. Two months after the first embolization, 14 (66.7%) women had some degree of improvement of symptoms. Nine (42.9%) patients underwent a second embolization. At the time the survey was conducted, 16 (76.2%) patients had some degree of improvement of symptoms. In addition to improvements in varicose veins and pelvic pain, there was improvement of hemorrhoids.


CONCLUSIONS
Embolization of pelvic varicosities may be an effective treatment in a well-selected group of patients with PCS. If there is no improvement of symptoms after initial embolization, a second procedure is unlikely to be effective.
Department of Dermatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. c.vandervleuten@derma.umcn.nl
Carine J M
CJ
van der Vleuten
Janneke A L
JA
van Kempen
Leo J
LJ
Schultze-Kool
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000628:therapy; D010388:Pelvis / Q000098:blood supply*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000628:therapy*; D014844:Vulva / Q000098:blood supply*