What is the role of uterine artery embolization (UAE) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer with emergent bleeding that persists through vaginal packing?

With packing and starting urgent chemo RT, the need for embolization is very limited in our practice. That being said, data suggest if embolization is done, it doesn’t affect efficacy or complication risk of subsequent chemo RT.

The management of emergent bleeding from a locally advanced cervical cancer depends upon its severity and intensity. If the bleeding is stemmed by vaginal packing and limited to a slow ooze emergent radiation will generally stop this.

In some instances (quite a few in our practice because of delayed presentation), the bleeding continues with intensity through the vaginal packing and can be life-threatening. In these situations, radiation will be unable to stop the bleeding and UA embolization is ...