title: Effects of the intermittent injection with super-low pressure on the postoperative pain control during the uterine artery embolization for uterine myoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uterine artery embolization (UAE) has been commonly used for uterine myoma with satisfactory effects, but the pain during and following the procedure with an occurrence rate in 100%. The aim of this study was to observe the effects of intermittent injection with super-low pressure on pain control during the UAE for uterine myoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  67 subjects were divided into 2 groups with 47 in-group A and 20 in group B. A underwent UAE with the intermittent injection at super-low pressure, while B underwent routine UAE. Pain was assessed according to WHO analgesic ladder. Meanwhile, all were scored with the visual analogue scale (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The numbers of first, second and third step analgesic user in Group A were 21, 18 and 6, respectively, with 2 non-analgesic users, while in Group B were 4, 6 and 10, respectively without non-analgesic user (chi-square = 7.043, P = 0.008). VAS showed good pain control in 23 cases, satisfactory in 18 and poor in 6 in Group A, while in Group B, were 4, 8 and 8, respectively (chi-square = 7.329, P = 0.007). Mean follow-up was 16.5 months (range, 6-32 months). The abnormal menstruation was improved and the ultrasound examination 6 months later demonstrated a significant decrease in the diameter of myoma (from 6.65 ± 2.40 cm to 5.22 ± 1.86 cm, t = 3.186, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of intermittent injection with super-low pressure during UAE can decrease and possibly eliminate post-operative pain. But the procedure time was increased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Ze-Long
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Le
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Polyvinyl acetate; super-low pressure; uterine artery embolization; uterine myoma