Embolization Puns

I have multiple of large fibroids (16cm) and I don't want to have kids anymore so I decided UFE is the best solution. I am looking for doctor/ hospital recommendation that does this procedure. And anyone can share their experience as well. Thank you.

I had a failed surgery/recurrence. I’m thinking ab embo, but one thing that crossed my mind is if I have nutcracker syndrome that caused the recurrence. Would the process of getting the embolization(scans and tests) be able to rule out nutcracker?

Im a 22 years old and have been diagnosed with a grad 3 varicocele in august but i was studying abroad so I couldn’t treat it until i came back home now for the holidays.

I have had my embolization done today , the procedure is not that hard , they entered the catheter through my neck , they used a local anesthesia, it took 1 and half hours becauseit was hard for him to enter the veins , he said i had double sacarl vein , the thing is after they finished they let me go immediately without relaxing or anything .

Unfortunately during my way home after about 20 min from the operation my dad was driving and we had a car accident, the car was smashed badly , but hopefully we are fine , but i felt a lot of pain in my left side for the varicocele area and the pain is still there now , i dont know if the operation failed or anything now i am so scared , and the veins are still the same and they are still there.

Can someone tell me their opinion on that matter please?

I had IR embolize my high-grade L varicocele on 7/12/2021 and on 10/18/2021 I had my testosterone levels tested and here are the results. Take these results with a huge grain of salt but I did see significant changes.

https://i.imgur.com/qww2zkn.png

I had my embolization of the 17th of last month, and the radiologist used coils and said it went well. It felt noticeable better and it had shrunk but was still somewhat there, 2 weeks after the embolization, it felt like my varicocele was already back, and currently it is causing discomfort again. Was this a failure? How long after embolization do you see the veins dissappearance?

I have 3rd grade varicocele . i want to know which is better to do a surgery aur embolization.

Hi guys,

have any of you had a private embolization done in England, if so I would appreciate any recommendations and some information on how much it cost.

thank you.

Hello. Yesterday I got the embolization for my left sided grade 3 variocele. The nurse said it went very well. However, I haven’t noticed a difference in the appearance of my variocele. I am starting to worry that it didn’t work since the vagina are still full. Sorry if this is a stupid question I just need to ease my mind

Look at my post history if you’d like more information but basically I had microsurgery many years ago and had a recurrence. I have had two embolizations this year already and have a third scheduled next week with a new IR who does a ton of embos supposedly. Hopefully 4th time is the charm lol because I’m tired of the pain and uncomfortableness.

Anyways, my question is have any of you all had your Varicocele resolved through the “direct needle stick” method. My new Dr says that he is going to try to attempt to embolize the small veins that the previous IR missed in the second embolization but if he can’t, that he’ll attempt to stick a needle directly into my scrotum into the varicocele and try to inject sclerosant directly into it. The previous Ir I had tried that and failed and my sack was sore for like a month. Has anyone here had success with the direct Stick method?

Did anyone else’s veins get hardened and almost feel solid after they got an embolisation? I had an embo a year ago and one of the veins has remained hard and solid and I’m not sure what it is or what it means

I did micro surgery and the veins came back 3 months later. I never had varicocele problems until I started to have pelvic problems. When it came I was sedentary. I have a left sided varicocele. Yesterday after stretching I pulled my hip muscle( right hip) today I woke up with enlarged veins and testicle pain on my right . Now I truly believe that muscle dysfunction is creating a congestion down there. I don’t believe urologists anymore. They are full of shit. I will do some excercises to correct my posture. I also realized that my psoas muscle in incredibly tight. This is the muscle where the testicular veins pass through. My therory is that this muscle is spasming and blocking the circulation to my testicles. Don’t believe me ? Look up psoas and testicle anatomy pathway. Good luck everyone. Always remember that western medicine is alway almost business dominant. A cured customer is not a customer anymore. Don’t believe everything the doctors say. Do your own research.

Here is a link to a video of a doctor explaining the vein layout and walking through an embolization of a varicocele.

Hey there, sorry, this may be a little long. I have been a CPC for a Neurology department for about two years. We recently hired a new doctor who is a Neurointerventional radiologist and is doing procedures at one of our hospitals. I am brand new to coding the surgeries for him and I have gotten down the thrombectomy's, stents, and DSA's that he does with the help of the sweetest lady from our facilities general surgery department, but we can't figure out or understand how to code his MMA Embolization's and aneurysm procedures. We tried to code one and it keeps giving me the same edit and we can't figure out what to do. This is one of the notes...if someone smarter than me could please help me out that would be fantastic!!!

INJECTIONS:

LEFT common carotid artery

LEFT external carotid artery

LEFT middle meningeal artery

Post embolization LEFT external carotid artery

LEFT internal carotid artery angio through existing catheter for procedure

confirmation

RIGHT external iliac artery

INTERVENTION:

Coil and particulate embolization of LEFT middle meningeal artery

Angio-Seal arteriotomy closure

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL RADIOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES: None

COMPARISON: CT and MR studies performed on the previous day.

TECHNIQUE: Prior to the procedure, consent was obtained. Maximal sterile

technique with mask, sterile gown, sterile gloves, large sterile sheet, hand

hygiene, and patient prep with 2% chlorhexidine for cutaneous antisepsis were

all followed as Covenant Health guidelines. Physiological monitors were placed.

Right common femoral arterial access was achieved with a micropuncture system.

A 6 French sheath was introduced.

Benchmark I catheter introduced over a Berenstein catheter and Glidewire and

advanced into LEFT common carotid artery. Angiographic assessment performed. The

guide catheter then advanced into the LEFT external carotid artery and repeat

angiographic assessment performed. Intravenous heparin was administered and

heparin drip initiated through the sheath. Direxion catheter introduced over

Fathom wire and used to selectively catheterize the LEFT middle meningeal

artery. Angiographic assessment performed. Embolization performed with 300-500

um polyvinyl alcohol particles followed by platinum microcoils. Postprocedural

assessment of the LEFT common carotid artery demonstrated near stasis in the

LEFT middle meningeal artery distribution with NO additional m

I had my embolization for left side varicocele today.

Straight up if anyone is scared of the procedure, don't be, absolute walk in the park. In the weeks before and day of I was quite anxious. As soon as you wake up in recovery, you're just like oh was that it.

Once you're wheeled into the theatre you're busy talking to everyone and your nerves go away very quickly. Was fully knocked out with a breathing tube within about 5 minutes of being wheeled in. You can have it done with only sedation if you wish. I wasn't fussed either way.

Whole procedure took two hours. Had it done by a vascular surgeon rather than typical IR Dr. Had a team of 2 radiologists 4 nurses and an anaesthetist taking very good care of me. It was comforting knowing these people do way more crazy surgery and if anything went wrong I was in good hands.

Had 4 coils put in on the left, not sure if they added anything else I was a little sleepy when they explained it all after I woke up, which was in the recovery area. Was told the procedure was successful though. Spent 1 hour in recovery and 2 hours in a room relaxing after.

As far as pain, well what pain really. The only thing that hurt was the canular in my arm for the drugs. If you've had a blood test before that's what you will experience. You get over this small amount of pain very quickly. As far as the puncture site goes (right groin), you can tell something has happened there, but it doesn't hurt at all.

Where the coils are is not hurting either. You can tell sometimes when you move around something happened there but does not hurt even slightly. You can't feel the coils one bit if anyone is curious. Once you leave you feel like you've just had a really long blood test.

As for the vein, well they don't have that dull ache anymore and the bag of worms seems to be almost fully reduced.

Feel free to ask any questions, I'll update the post over the next few days with how I'm feeling. You could literally go back to work the next day but I'm choosing to take some time off and relax.

If you are thinking of getting this done, do it. Do not be nervous, you're wasting your energy thinking about bad things that won't happen.

Also shout out to this reddit thread, you guys are great. Reading people's posts convinced me I should get this done to fix the pain I was experiencing.

Does anyone have any comments?

https://ramantanwar.in/varicocele-surgery-or-embolization/

Specialty

Microscopic Surgery: Lowest Complication rate

Embolization: Higher complication rates like coil migration, recurrence and increase in grade

Heard a few scattered comments of this occurring in some cases, due to redirected blood flow overwhelming the right side and damaging the valves

Is this extremely rare?

Has anyone had relief from pain in their perineal region (area between scrotum and anus), and in the groin areas to the sides of the perineum (down in between inner thighs, not in the upper groin area near your belly, to the sides of the base of the penis), after getting a successful varicocele embolization?

This type of pain features prominently in my varicocele pain, and I've only heard Urologists mention testicular pain radiating to the kidney region associated with varicoceles.

What about relief of lower leg pain (e.g. left hamstring and calf), and base of the penis pain, after an embolization?

Wishing you all healing and a full recovery gents,

I had my second embolization a year ago, although it didn’t reduce the size of my varicocele it’s helped with the pain, but not my fertility. I also noticed that one or two of the veins have hardened like a rock after the surgery, I was hoping it would go away with time but it hasn’t changed. Has this happened to anyone else/know why this is happening? Thanks

age 35. Does the coil from an embolization interfere with or cause pain while doing yoga stretches bends, or limit range of motion in any form of exercise? I'm not asking about training with weights, but I would like to know if a coil interferes with a deep squat.

So iv got varicocele on both sides the left seems worse then right I have another sonogram coming up to better assess the situation iv got an anoying pressure feeling thats mildly painfull when I'm doing physical activity, but basically can an embolization treat both sides or is it only for one side also what type of doctor does the embolization?

I'm looking for providers ( Urologist, surgeon, interventionist ) in the North Austin area. 78758 or there abouts. The complication is they would need to accept medicare/medicaid. They're reoccurring grade 3 on the left testicle. Previous intervention was microsurgical ligation.

Any one experienced any positive effects in sex drive or sperm count after embolization ?

Hello, I recently had an embolization 8 days ago and most of the veins have reduced a ton in size except for one. It is squiggly and loops down and up my scrotum and is very full feeling. I am wondering if this will be reduced in the coming months after embolization?

Hey everyone, just thought I’d give a quick update on my embolization.

Had it done just over a month ago, and was pretty much completely healed up in about two weeks. I had a bit of soreness and cramping every now and then while at work (I work in construction and do a lot of moving/heavy lifting throughout the day) but nothing debilitating. NGL, there were a few moments that I had to take 2 minutes to just get my bearings, but again, nothing too crazy.

As for the veins themselves, they’ve been reduced in size significantly and they don’t cause me any pain at all now. Also, I wouldn’t know that I have metal coils in my body at all. I can’t feel them, and honestly I forget that they’re even there until I think of writing a Reddit post about them or something.

I also feel confident going to the gym and lifting heavy weights again too. So just follow your doctor’s advice and heal up.

So, yeah, for all the guys that are a bit apprehensive about embolization, I hope that my experience can maybe reassure you a bit. I understand the feeling myself. I stumbled across a website called “Against Varicocele Embolization” and was quite put off by the procedure after reading the accounts there, but I think that site is full of a bunch of B.S., honestly.

Best of luck guys, take care.

TL;DR: embo a month ago, healed up alright, lift heavy things just fine, against varicocele embolization site is full of crap.

My wife had uterine fibroid embolization treatment roughly around 2002 or 2004. This is the introduction of micro plastics in uterine fibroid tumors to shrink them and possibly avoid a hysterectomy. Subsequently, she developed Parkinson's, diagnosed in 2018. And now I run across this study: https://newatlas.com/environment/microplastics-blood-brain-barrier/

So -- it seems possible there would be a connection between this embolization treatment and future brain disease. Has his been studied at all? Could this be part of the reason for increasing incidence of Parkinson's?

Doctor told me he'll be referring me for surgery on my varicocele. He hasn't mentioned what kind of surgery it will be since he is an Endocrinologist.

Any advise on what is the better option for varicocele? If I am able to make a decision. I really do not want the varicocele to return after going though all this to finally get a referral.

Thanks in advance.

I’d imagine if I can still feel them when lying down that’s an indicator that no blood is flowing through them and the embolization was successful? They feel fairly dull most of the time too. I’m supposed to get an ultrasound soon to confirm.

Hello, I had surgery for a vericocele about 10 years ago and had issues with it again not shortly after. For the past 9 years I've been dealing with it. I went and saw a few urologists and had a few scans done and they said that they couldn't find anything wrong. I still have that lingering dragging pain and I know my body so there's definitely something going on down there. I've been researching here for a while and was hoping maybe embolization would be an option for me. Does anyone have a good dr to recommend in or near Houston, TX?

Male, age 38 230 lbs and 5'7" Non smoker Taking anti anxiety meds Diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma. No hepatitis, no cirrhosis. He has an otherwise healthy liver. Has a 7.5 cm mass in segment 8. Originally thought to be a focal nodular hyperplasia but potential it was fibrolamellar carcinoma. biopsy revealed hepatocellular carcinoma. The mass needs to be removed but due to location its easier and safer to remove the entire right lobe. The left lobe was smaller than normal (no reason, just an anatomic anomaly). Removing the right lobe currently would only leave him with about 25% of a liver so they did a right portal vein embolization last Monday to force the left lobe to grow. We've found tons on the internet of what to expect from the actual procedure, or what to watch put for, but not much about how he'll feel.
I'm trying to verify this is normal. Hes extremely fatigued (I assume that's normal) but also nauseous every time he eats. He's keeping hydrated.
And this may be a dumb question, but if they're forcing his left lobe to grow won't it grow towards his stomach and also contribute to a decreased appetite? What else should I be watching for as his caregiver?

Dealt with a grade 3 left varicocele since my late teens. It’s never really been painful, but the sagging and the size of the veins are quite sufficient. Doesn’t seem like it’s had any effect on my Test which is quite high (32.4 nmol/L), but it seems my semen parameters are on the lower side:

Vol: 2.0ml Concentration: 19x10*6/mL Viability: 48 Normal Forms: 2% Immotile: 70%

Hoping things improve afterwards. I’m having it done at Toronto General tomorrow afternoon.From what I understand there’s about 2-3 months post embo that the veins needs to settle and dissolve.

I have been reading through this sub over the last few months and have been finding great info, so thank you to everyone that has posted.

I am 38 and have had heavy periods for as long as I can remember, but I have had a very regular cycle otherwise with little to no pain from cramping/pms/etc and I just assumed that was my normal. That all changed earlier this year when I had an 18 day heavy period, iron levels so low I should have had a transfusion and then ended up in emergency in the middle of the night with bleeding so heavy I had to empty a 30mL menstrual cup every 15 minutes. After an ultrasound it was discovered I have a 9cm fibroid that is now causing a lot of discomfort - can’t sit for extended periods, driving is difficult and tiring, constant lower back and abdomen pressure. The OB I’m working with is amazing and very supportive. At our first appointment she asked if I was planning on having kids, I said no and her response was “great, then we have every option available and can do what is best for you”. We have tried managing the bleeding with birth control, but that isn’t working and the discomfort is still an issue. I now have the option of embolization or a hysterectomy (laparoscopic and I would keep my ovaries). My question is, have any of you had embolization and still needed a hysterectomy; or, if you chose hysterectomy over an embolization, why did you make that choice?

Hi there,

First I'd like to say this subreddit has been really helpful. I learned of my grade 3 left-sided varicocele about 3 weeks ago. Originally I was going to the doctor for a small pea-sized lump along the perineum underneath the skin, almost "behind" my scrotum. They did an ultrasound of it and found it to be supposedly non-serious "partially calcified lump".

Shortly after that, being hyper-aware of how I felt down there, I felt as if pain was radiating from the lump on the right side. However while sitting for a long-period one day, a different fairly strong pain 4/10 occurred in my scrotum beneath my left testicle. This is when I became aware of how large my "bag of worms" had gotten. 6 months ago, I had noticed a "bag of worms" but had had 0 pain back then. I remember looking up normal sizes of spermatic cords as I was concerned, but concluded that it was likely normal. Anyway, I messaged my doctor upon having that new pain and had another ultrasound to discover my grade 3 varicocele, measuring 5.6 mm.

Since that day, I experienced a dull 3/10 persistent ache on the left side of my scrotum. I began icing and noticed a fair collection of veins or something beneath my left testicle.

An appointment with a urologist was made which didn't make me feel much better. The doctor, despite many great reviews on the internet, was VERY brief with me and curt, almost rude. We set up an appointment for a sperm analysis and an ultrasound of my abdomen (just in case I have a tumor in that region...). He prescribed me Meloxicam 15mg, an anti-inflammatory, for two weeks. The drug has definitely helped, alongside the "David Archy" supportive underwear I bought by recommendation from this sub.

He laid down the options for me, saying since I've had inguinal hernia repair, and that since the site of my incision still itches and sometimes bothers me if I sit improperly for enough time, that he'd open me up for microsurgery and if I had too much scar tissue in that area, he'd then close me up and instead have me get an embolization. Being fearful of surgery in that sensitive area, since they'd make a very similarly close incision, I asked if embolization was less invasive, which he said it wasn't.

I've put off my appointment for sperm analysis due to anxiety, but I plan to set it up after making this post. I haven't had the abdominal ultrasound yet, but it'll likely return nothing.

I've gone up and down in my feelings regarding this while reading this subreddit

Had my Embolization a week ago today. All was well, with a nice decrease in the size and pressure. Although after an extended period sitting in an uncomfortable computer chair and awkwardly shifting my weight around, I’m feeling some pressure return to the largest of the mass of veins. Although not returned to its normal size. Feels like there’s some warmth accompanying the area as well, that wasn’t present since Embo. Kinda scared… but also kinda assuming it’s part of the process.

Suffering from this for the past 7 years. Am so afraid to go to the doctor. Going through depression. Don't know what to do.

And have any results?