[Investigation of the hemodynamic changes during uterine arterial embolization in the treatment of adenomyosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hemodynamic changes before and after uterine arterial embolization (UAE) in the treatment of adenomyosis. METHODS: UAE was performed in 30 patients with adenomyosis diagnosed by clinical manifestation, magnetic resonance and/or color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI). The mean flow velocity (Vm), resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of bilateral uterine arteries were measured by CDFI 1 week before, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after UAE. Mean time of the blood flow in normal myometrium and adenomyosis lesions were observed by color Doppler energy. RESULTS: Vm, PI and RI were markedly reduced after UAE, especially on the 7th day after UAE (P < 0.01). Concomitantly the blood flow volume (BFV) in normal myometrium was also decreased and recovered to normal again 1 month and 3 months after treatment (P < 0.05, compared to the 7th day after UAE) but the BFV inside the adenomyosis lesion kept lower state after UAE. CONCLUSIONS: The most obvious hemodynamic changes of uterine arteries occurred 1 week after UAE. The blood supply of normal myometrium recovered to normal after 30 days. But those of lesions were irreversible until 3 months after UAE.