ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system in the treatment of patients with heavy menstrual bleeding and an enlarged uterus and to compare satisfaction and its complications with hysterectomy. Methods This was a comparative cross-sectional observational study of women with heavy menstrual bleeding and an enlarged uterus. Sixty-two women were treated and followed up for four years. Insertion of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system was performed in Group 1, and laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed in Group 2. Results In Group 1 (n=31), 21 patients (67.7%) showed improvement in the bleeding pattern, and 11 patients (35.5%) had amenorrhea. Five patients (16.1%) remained with heavy bleeding and were considered to have experienced treatment failure. There were seven expulsions (22.6%); in five patients, bleeding remained heavy, but in two patients the bleeding returned to that of normal menstruation. No relationship was found between treatment failure and greater hysterometries (p=0.40) or greater uterine volumes (p=0.50), whereas expulsion was greater in uteri with smaller hysterometries (p=0.04). There were 13 (21%) complications, seven (53.8%) in the group that underwent insertion of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (all were device expulsions), and six (46.2%) in the surgical group, which were the most severe ones (p=0.76). Regarding satisfaction, 12 patients (38.7%) were dissatisfied with the levonorgestrel intrauterine system and one (3.23%) was dissatisfied with the surgical treatment (p=0.00). Conclusion Treatment with the levonorgestrel intrauterine system in patients with heavy menstrual bleeding and an enlarged uterus was effective, and when compared with laparoscopic hysterectomy, it had a lower rate of satisfaction and the same rate of complications, although less severe.

RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar a melhora na qualidade de vida e a redução do volume uterino, além da correlação entre essas duas variáveis, após a embolização de artérias uterinas. Métodos Foram coletados dados de 60 pacientes sobre qualidade de vida antes e depois da embolização de artérias uterinas com a aplicação do questionário Uterine Fibroid Symptom – Quality of Life. Informações sobre o volume uterino em exames de ressonância magnética realizada antes e depois do procedimento foram coletadas em 40 dessas pacientes e comparadas por meio de teste não paramétrico de Wilcoxon para dados pareados. A correlação entre qualidade de vida e volume uterino antes e depois do procedimento foi determinada pelo coeficiente de Spearman. Resultados Houve melhora significativa na qualidade de vida das pacientes após embolização de artérias uterinas nos escores do questionário Uterine Fibroid Symptom – Quality of Life, tanto das subescalas como do total. Houve redução mediana significativa (-37,4%) no volume uterino após embolização de artérias uterinas, embora não tenha sido estabelecida qualquer correlação entre volume uterino e escores de qualidade de vida antes e depois da embolização. Conclusão A embolização de artérias uterinas é alternativa para o tratamento de fibroide uterina, resultando na melhora dos sintomas e da qualidade de vida. Embora a redução do volume uterino seja fator importante na avaliação do sucesso terapêutico, não está necessariamente correlacionada com melhora de sintomas.

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate improvement in quality of life, reduction of uterine volume, and the correlation between these two variables after uterine fibroid embolization. Methods Data on quality of life before and after uterine fibroid embolization were collected from 60 patients using the Uterine Fibroid Symptom – Quality of Life questionnaire. In 40 of these patients, uterine volume information on magnetic resonance imaging examinations performed before and after uterine fibroid embolization was collected, and compared using the nonparametric Wilcoxon test for paired data. Correlation between quality of life and uterine volume before and after procedure was measured using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Results There was significant improvement in quality of life after uterine fibroid embolization on Uterine Fibroid Symptom – Quality of Life questionnaire, in both subscales scores and the total score. There was a significant median reduction of -37.4% after uterine fibroid embolization, but no correlations between uterine volume and quality of life scores were found before or after embolization. Conclusion Uterine embolization is an alternative to treat uterine fibroids, resulting in relief of symptoms and better quality of life. Although reduction in uterine volume plays an important role in the evaluation of therapeutic success, it does not necessarily have a definitive correlation with relief of symptoms.