TOLL FREE:
1-866-611-2665
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in or on the walls of the uterus. They are very common and range in size from very small to very large.
Most often occurring in women from their 30s to early 50s, uterine fibroids can affect any woman of reproductive age. In most cases, they cause no symptoms and are discovered incidentally during a pelvic exam or ultrasound.
Fibroids that cause symptoms may need to be treated. Some common symptoms of uterine fibroids include:
Fibroids that cause pain and bleeding, or otherwise affect quality of life, have traditionally been treated by medications or surgery. Surgical options generally include hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or myomectomy (surgical removal of fibroids from the uterus).
There is also a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). It’s used to block blood flow to fibroid tumors of the uterus. An interventional radiologist uses X-ray guidance to move a small plastic tube through the groin and into the small arteries which are feeding the fibroids. Then tiny particles are injected into the arteries to starve the fibroid of its blood supply, shrinking it.
First performed in 1994, UFE has proven to be a safe and effective treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids. It is less invasive and has fewer complications compared to surgery. Hospital stay following a UFE procedure is less than 24 hours and recovery from the procedure is fast with patients often returning to normal activities within a week.
In contrast, post-surgery hospital stay could be up to 2-3 days and return to work or normal activity could take about a month or longer. Hysterectomy has also been associated with negative impact on cardiovascular health of women along with long-term physical effects, such as incontinence and loss of sexual pleasure.
With surgical options relief from fibroid symptoms is rapid upon recovery from surgery. Whereas after a UFE procedure the fibroids are slowly deprived of blood supply, so it may take up to 3-6 months for you to see the full benefit, although you should start to feel better in less than a month.
Mayfair Diagnostics interventional radiologists perform these embolization procedures in-hospital within Calgary. These procedures are covered under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. Out-of-province patients are accepted; you would need to confirm with your provincial health care plan that they will cover the procedure as Alberta Health Services (AHS) will bill your provincial plan.
If you think you might benefit from this procedure, you will need to speak with your family doctor or specialist. Your doctor or specialist will then need to fax a consultation request to Rockyview General Hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging department at 403-592-4852.
Once the information has been received, our interventional radiology team will review the request and contact you to arrange a consultation to determine if the procedure is appropriate based on your medical history. There may also be imaging required. For example, a CT or MRI scan of the uterus may be ordered.
REFERENCES
Mayo Clinic Staff (2022) “Uterine fibroids.” www.mayoclinic.org. Accessed April 15, 2022.
Spies, J.B. (2013) “Current Evidence on Uterine Embolization for Fibroids.” Seminars in Interventional Radiology. 30(4): 340–346. Accessed April 15, 2022.
Our Refresh newsletter delivers the latest medical news, expert insights, and practical tips straight to your inbox, empowering you with knowledge to enhance patient care and stay informed.
By subscribing to our newsletter you understand and accept that we may share your information with vendors or other third parties who perform services on our behalf. The personal information collected may be stored, processed, and transferred to a country or region outside of Quebec.
Please read our privacy policy for more details.
We foster a supportive and collaborative culture designed to encourage positive patient experiences and build strong working relationships across the organization:
Our core values shape the way we work with patients, partners, and fellow employees. And, more than anything else, they’re what set Mayfair apart. In everything we do, this is what we strive for:
EXCELLENCE
We share a commitment to high quality and excellence in all that we do. This commitment calls on all of us to achieve the very best of our capabilities and exceed our own expectations.
CURIOSITY
We innovate in everything, from services to processes. We believe meaningful change and effective problem solving come only by looking at challenges and opportunities from new angles and by exercising our creativity and curiosity.
PASSION
We show pride, enthusiasm, and dedication in everything that we do. We are committed to producing and delivering high-quality results and services. We are passionate about our industry and about our company, services, partners, and patients.
COLLABORATION
Our team is supportive of each other’s efforts; we are loyal to one another; and we care for one another both personally and professionally. We promote and support a diverse, yet unified, team. We work together to meet our common goals across Mayfair clinics, locations, and geographies. Only through collaboration on ideas, technologies, and talents can we achieve our mission and vision.
SERVICE
We take pride in delivering exceptional service every day. We listen to every request with an open mind, always looking for opportunities to go above and beyond to create memorable, personalized experiences. We take responsibility to answer our referrers’ and patients’ requests and respect their time by always responding with a sense of urgency.
Start a career with Mayfair Diagnostics — one of Western Canada’s leading medical imaging teams.
Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, we’ve been helping people f ind clarity for their health for over 100 years. At our clinics in Calgary and area, Regina, and Saskatoon, our team of radiologists, technologists, and support staff work in a truly integrated way to provide exceptional experiences for our patients. Joining our team is more than a job. It’s an investment in your future — a plan for success.
OUR PEOPLE
Our people share our quest to make a difference in our patient’s lives. We’re a team of professionals, disciplined in our skills and compassionate with our patients, providing the care and attention they need. At our core, we are a trusted partner in our patients’ health care journey. Our patients, physicians, and other health care providers rely on us for quality imaging to help manage their patient’s health care decisions with certainty. But our business is about more than just imaging. It’s about building lasting relationships and making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we meet.
OUR VISION
A world in which every person has clarity about their health. We push the boundaries of what is possible and embrace change as an opportunity. We strive to be thought leaders and encourage creativity by providing a safe place for calculated risk taking. We learn from our mistakes. We share best practices across our operations and are recognized by our peers for our work. We engage the best to help propel us forward in achieving our goals.
