What happens to the plastic particles once the fibroids shrink? Do they dissolve? If so, where does the plastic go once dissolved?
The particles used to perform the embolization do not move once injected into the artery. The body does not absorb them, nor do they migrate to other parts of the body. As the particles are injected during the embolization they “dam” up and block the flow of blood to the fibroids. With the blood supply to the fibroids being shut off they start to shrink and die, but the particles themselves do not move.
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Of what material is the plastic particle made of? What studies have been conducted on the long-term effects of the particles in the body? Can they become cancer causing agents in the body?
The plastic particles are made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and are biocompatible, meaning they illicit little or no immunue response in the human body.
There have been several studies that have demonstrated the safety of these PVA particles and suggest that it acts
by adhering to vessel walls, reducing blood flow. To date, there are no studies that have supported that PVA particles can act as cancer causing agents.
I have passed particles along with pieces of what seems to be dead fibroid tissue. I have also passed particles with normal vaginal discharge. Is this normal?