Fibroid embolization usually requires one night in the hospital, although some women do go home the same day. Pain medications and drugs to control swelling typically are prescribed following the procedure to combat cramping, which is a common side effect. Complete recovery generally takes one to two weeks, but can take longer. Some patients experience nausea and, possibly, fever. Most symptoms are substantially improved by the next morning, but there may be some pain and cramping for several days.
Many women return to work within a week of having the procedure.
Recovery takes three to four weeks. Hysterectomy has a 2 percent risk of postoperative bleeding and a 15 percent to 38 percent risk of postoperative fever. Hysterectomy is typically performed in women who do not wish to have more children. While embolization to treat uterine fibroids has been performed for more than six years, embolization of arteries in the uterus has been used successfully by interventional radiologists for more than 20 years to treat heavy bleeding after childbirth. According to Pentecost, fibroid embolization is being performed in hospitals across the country, in Canada and around the world.