OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact on the quality of life in patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids submitted to uterine artery embolization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with symptomatic fibroids submitted to embolization have answered a quality-of-life questionnaire before and 12 weeks after the procedure. RESULTS: Mean score for symptoms severity before the procedure was 62.07 ± 6.34 and decreased with statistical significance to 20.42 ± 3.81 after the procedure. Similarly, scores for quality of life have improved from 40.26 ± 2.98 before the procedure to 85.06 ± 2.57 after the procedure, which again was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Uterine embolization results in evident symptoms relief and significant improvement in the quality of life of patients with symptomatic fibroids.

Keywords: Therapeutic embolization, Uterus, Leiomyoma, Quality of life, Interventional radiology