Microspheres vaginal discharge as a complication after Uterine Artery Embolization for intramural/submucosal fibroid

Abstract

Among Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) complications, vaginal discharge is considered very frequent, especially for submucosal fibroids. Until now, it was reported as clear odorless viscous material. To our knowledge, we describe the first report of intrauterine microsphere migration after UAE. A 45-year-old-woman was admitted to our hospital complaining metromenorrhagia, menstrual cramping, pelvic pain and dyspareunia. After a preprocedural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study, she underwent a superselective transradial UAE using 500-700 µm and 700-900 µm microspheres with a good morphological results. At 2-month follow-up, she complained viscous vaginal discharge with “strange pink stiff sphere of about 2 mm in diameter”. A post-procedural-MRI showed fibroid migration towards the uterine cavity, a frequent occurrence especially for submucosal fibroids. The microspheres transvascular migration outside the vessel wall was already reported in a study performed in sheep. Our hypothesis is that the phenomenon of transvascular migration along with the fibroid migration towards the uterine cavity after UAE, may have led the migration of the microspheres directly into the vaginal cavity causing chronic vaginal discharge with pink stiff sphere. Vaginal discharge mixed with “sphere of particles” should be included among the UAE late complication especially for intramural and/or submucosal fibroids with distance to the endometrium less than 2.4 mm at pre-procedural MRI.

Keywords

• Uterine artery embolization
• Complications
• Vaginal discharge
• Microsphere
• Uterine fibroids
• MRI