When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was treated last year for fibroid tumors, she was back to work in three days thanks to a minimally invasive procedure called Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE).

Many women with fibroid tumors - non-cancerous growths that cause unusual bleeding - are choosing UAE over more major surgery. "The best candidates for UAE are women who have extensive bleeding related to their fibroids and who want to keep their uterus or avoid surgery altogether. There are fewer major complications and patients heal faster than with surgery," explains PMMC Interventional Radiologist Kartik Shah, MD. The procedure is more than 93-percent effective and takes 60 to 90 minutes under "conscious" sedation. The patient goes home the next day.

For more information, talk to your physician or call Interventional Radiology at 610-327-7485.