Avoiding hysterectomy: Major interventional radiology E-collection info...( FAIRFAX Va.For the first time the So...)

FAIRFAX, Va.For the first time, the Society of Interventional Radiology has assembled a major electronic collection of professional articles about uterine artery embolization, a treatment directed toward a number of conditions involving the uterusmost often adverse health effects that may occur due to the presence of uterine fibroids. The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology "virtual" collection allows health care providers and the public to view the abstracts on current research on this topic in one place, eliminating the need to search topics individually.

Uterine fibroids are very common noncancerous growths that develop in the muscular wall of the uterus. Hysterectomy, surgical removal of the uterus performed by a gynecologist, is the most common treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids. In fact, more than 200,000 women in the United States have hysterectomies for fibroids each year; it is the second most common surgery among women. However, most women are candidates for uterine artery embolization (also called uterine fibroid embolization). "Uterine artery embolization is a treatment method for fibroids that is relatively noninvasive and has high success rates. Women with fibroids and their health care providers should be aware of this therapy. This collection assembles relevant information about the interventional radiology treatment in one convenient place," explained Albert A. Nemcek Jr., M.D., FSIR, editor of JVIR, a peer-reviewed, monthly publication long recognized for its exceptional quality and influence as an academic and professional resource.

"The value for physicians and patients is the convenience of having all the recent articles from a major journal in one place. While it is not a comprehensive list of all recent uterine artery embolization articles, many of the major studies are included, particularly those that relate to the technical aspects of the procedure," said James B. Spies, M.D., FSIR, JVIR s
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