Uterine artery embolization safety still debated. (Short-Term Data from 58 Sites).

SEATTLE -- Short-term data collected in a multicenter registry suggest that uterine artery embolization is comparable in safety with other treatment approaches for fibroids, Dr. Evan Myers reported.

Thirty-day postprocedure outcomes are now available for 2,332 women who underwent the procedure, which has generated considerable controversy in the 7 years since its introduction.

In this prospective observational study that includes 58 sites, uterine artery embolization (UAE) for the treatment of fibroids has been judged a technical success in 98% of cases, Dr. Myers said at the annual meeting of the American society for Reproductive Medicine.

Only 1% of patients required some type of reintervention such as myomectomy or hysterectomy within 30 days. "Immediate periprocedural complications of UAE are rare, with only a minority [of the patients] requiring hospitalization greater than 48 hours," said Dr. Myers of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Registry data are being analyzed by the Duke Clinical Research Institute.

Postprocedure pain, raised as a concern in early reports of UAE, did not exceed 6 on a scale of 1-10 among the participants.

Adverse events, including minor vessel injuries, hot flashes, and night sweats, occurred in 26% of patients. Most resolved within 30 days, with the exception of 6% who had symptoms consistent with some degree of persisting ovarian compromise, he said.