Long-term results and influencing factors of uterine artery embolization in the treatment of adenomyosis

Objective To evaluate the dysmenorrhea score of uterine adenomyosis with or without uterine leiomyomata after uterine artery embolization (UAE)and explore the technique of UAE.Methods 167 women with symptomatic uterine adenomyosis with or without combined uterine leiomyomata diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging underwent UAE between June 1999 and November 2005.They were divided into two groups .Group A was adenomyosis with combined uterine leiomyomata and group B was not.Dysmenorrhea score of patients five years after UAE were collected.Results Patients were followed for a median of 72 months(range 3–120 months) ,The follow-up rate of 1 to 5 years after UAE was 85.6%(143/167),82%(137/167),78.4%(131/167),71.9%(120/167),64.7%(108/167),respectively.The Clinical effect rate of 1 to 5 years after UAE of group A was 85.71%,85%,78.95%,80.55%,79.41%,respectively.It was 78.21%,72.16%,66.67%,65.47%,58.11% in group B, respectively(P=0.30,0.11,0.16,0.10,0.03).The efficient rate of two groups were tending to decline.Significant difference between women with pure uterine adenoymosis and women with uterine adenomyosis combined with uterine leiomyomata was observed in the fifth year.Conclusion We should select different diameter and dose of embolic agents according to the blood supply features when uterine artery embolization treat for simple adenomyosis and adenomyosis with hysteromyoma,in order to achieve complete embolism and to improve clinic effects.