How to manage recurrence after interventional embolization for adenomyosis?

  Adenomyosis with its clinical symptoms of dysmenorrhea and excessive menstrual flow is a big problem for patients as well as physicians. Although interventional embolization therapy can provide good results, does it recur after interventional therapy? What is the recurrence rate? It is a constant concern for patients and clinicians.  According to the clinical experience of various countries, there is a certain recurrence rate after interventional treatment, and the current more reported recurrence rate is 30-40% 2 years after the operation. Therefore, it is important to review regularly as required within 2 years after surgery.  Recently, we followed up a group of patients who underwent interventional embolization at our hospital 2 years ago and observed a promising result. The efficiency rate for dysmenorrhea among patients treated at our hospital was 80% and for excessive menstrual flow was 90%, which is similar to the results of various medical centers in China and abroad. However, a characteristic of this group of patients was that once the treatment was shown to be effective, there was no recurrence after two years, and the dysmenorrhea was well controlled. The symptoms of excessive menstrual flow were also more well controlled. At present, we speculate that the low recurrence rate after the intervention may be due to the following reasons: more precise choice of embolization material; more accurate control of the degree of embolization during the procedure; and more accurate patient selection.  We hope to continue to improve our technique to benefit more and more suitable patients and preserve their uterus.