Embolization for PCS

I haven't posted in awhile since I was battling my ins. I just had an embolization done for pelvic congestion syndrome. The procedure is very fast and less envasive. My ins. agreed to the procedure and I am waiting to see if I need a repeat or if this took care of the varicose veins that were causing all my pain. I had an MRI to show that I do not have adenomyosis or endo. Just narley looking veins. The interventional radiologist was very pleased with the outcome. It is possible to repeat the procedure and if that doesn't take care of it then the next option is TAH.

Hi Imokay,

Thanks for letting us know that you had the embolization. I am glad it went well, and hope it takes care of your problems. Hopefullly you will not have to repeat the procedure.

,
Kay

I hope that it works for you. They tried with me last May and it did not help and then in Sept I ended up having a TVH. Now since then I have felt great. But I do hope that it works because it is definately less invasive and mych shorter recovery time. May I ask which vein they went into to access the pelvic veins? They went in through my neck which I thought was strange.

Jacqueline

They went through the jugular as well because it was necessary to embolize both ovarian veins. The right ovarian vein is at an accute angle if you go through your leg so it is easier to access from the top- down. The left ovarian vein is easy no matter which direction you come. How long until you knew it didn't work?

Hello, I am so happy to hear that the embolization went well. I chickened out when they told me they go in through your neck and you are awake. Yikes! I also have fibroids and endo, so I am just biding my time at this point. Please let us know how this works a few months down the line. My Dr. told me he had never seen the varicose veins as large as mine were. Gosh, this is when I really don't want to be the best. Did you have any problems with the contrast dye (iodine)they use? I also worried about that because I have a really bad allergy to it. Although, they give you the prep the night before and then they use a better quality contrast. But I still got a little nervous. I hadn't heard of anyone having the procedure done. The IR that I went to says he does a few a year. Good luck with the outcome. and we look forward to hearing about long term pain relief!!

Hugs, Bev

Hello Imokay it took about one cycle and I knew that not much had changed. I went back to my gyn and he did another check and sure enough the veins were full again. But I do hope that it does work for you. I knew that there was a chance of it not working but I decided like you that it was less invasive and easier recovery.
Jacqueline

I wasn't awake. The sedative they gave me was enough to knock me out. Here's my story: after getting on the table (with the little O2 thingy in your nose), the Dr. was using an ultra-sound to locate and mark my jugular. Then a nurse swabbed my whole neck in iodine (or betadine). Then they put a blanket with a cut-out over your neck that consequently covers your face. The nurse made me a tunnel to look out and promptly added the sedative into the i.v. I was out like a light. The nurse said that she would give me more med. if the first dose didn't help me fall asleep. Then I woke up with a good sized bandage on my neck for a 1/2 cm knick in the skin. My interventional radiologist said that I was his 5th in this procedure for this reason and that he has never seen knarly veins like mine before. He has been doing embolizations for years and years for crushed pelvic cases but PCS is so uncommon. He danced out of the procedure room to show my Mum the before and after x-rays. He was very pleased with the outcome. My embolization was out-patient which is really amazing with what they can do now. I will post with the outcome in the weeks to follow. I see my Dr. in a few weeks for a follow up.
~Amelia