Pelvic Venogram and Embolization
Relief for chronic pelvic pain caused by pelvic congestion syndrome
Women who are experiencing chronic pelvic pain may be diagnosed with pelvic congestion syndrome.
This is caused by enlarged varicose veins in the ovaries and pelvis.
Pelvic congestion syndrome is the enlargement of vessels and pooling of blood in veins in your pelvis.
This builds pressure and leads to chronic discomfort.
Often, pelvic congestion syndrome results after pregnancy.
When these veins have necessarily expanded to allow for increased blood flow to the fetus, but as a result weaken and do not maintain normal blood flow following pregnancy.
Interventional radiologists can offer relief for patients with pelvic congestion syndrome by performing a pelvic venogram followed by embolization.
The procedure begins when an interventional radiologist inserts a tube (catheter) into the patient’s vein in her upper leg (femoral vein).
As the physician steers the catheter toward the pelvis, contrast is injected to view the various veins and blood flow is evaluated.
In doing this, veins that are blocked or enlarged and could be causing the pain can be identified.
Once identified, the enlarged pelvic veins are occluded to decrease blood pooling and divert blood flow elsewhere.