Women’s Health Pelvic Congestion Treatment

There are a number of common health problems that only affect women. Fortunately, the minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures CiC specializes in are perfectly suited to treating these conditions.

Pelvic Congestion

We offer treatments for the following conditions:

About the procedure

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS) is a term used to refer to the chronic pelvic pain experienced by over 50 million American women during their lifetime. One of the most common causes of this pain are varices (swollen blood vessels similar to varicose veins) that develop in their ovarian veins or elsewhere in the pelvic area. Diagnosing these swollen veins can be tricky, because unlike varicose veins on the legs, they are not visible. But if tests conducted via ultrasound or other visualization technologies confirms the presence of varices, a procedure called called Ovarian Vein Embolization (OVE) may provide a solution to help eliminate pain without the need for invasive surgery.

Why it’s done

Ovarian Vein Embolization relieves pressure in the veins and improves blood flow, which can significantly reduce pelvic pain.

What to expect

Preparation: You should not eat anything for four hours before the procedure, although you can drink water. You should tell your CiC physician beforehand about any medications you are currently taking, and whether you have ever been allergic to seafood or have had a bad reaction to injectable contrast dyes. You may be advised to stop taking aspirin, NSAIDs, or blood thinners for a week before the procedure.

During: OVE is performed without general anesthesia, although you may be given a mild sedative to help you relax Then, after applying a local anesthetic, your CiC surgeon inserts a thin, flexible catheter through a tiny nick in the skin and guides it precisely into place using X-ray fluoroscopy. A contrast dye may be injected to make it easier to see the varices being treated. Finally, tiny coils, an embolizing agent, and/or a sclerosing agent is injected through the catheter to close the swollen veins, without affecting healthy tissue in the area.

After: You will be able to go home a few hours after the procedure.Most patients are able to return to their normal activities soon after the procedure is completed.