Ask the doctor: What happens to the plastic beads injected during uterine artery embolization?
The types of particles most often used in this procedure are trisacryl gelatin microspheres and polyvinyl alcohol particles (a plastic material that resembles coarse sand). Both types are incorporated in the clot that blocks the fibroid's blood supply. The particles are considered biologically inert: they don't dissolve, aren't absorbed by tissues, and don't cause any allergic reactions or inflammation. In the United States, embolization particles have been used safely and successfully for decades for treating a variety of conditions — and since 1995 for treating uterine fibroids. Follow-up studies suggest that the particles remaining in your uterine blood vessels will have no long-term effects.
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