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Embolization — Principles & Applications

Interventional Radiology · Cochin Hospital AP-HP · Paris

️ ri.cch@aphp.fr +33 1 58 41 46 12
IR Home›Embolization — Principles & Applications
📚 Educational · Interventional radiology

Embolization — What is it and how does it work?

Minimally invasive · Blocks blood vessels · No surgery · Multiple applications · Local anaesthesia

What is embolization?

Embolization is a minimally invasive technique in which a radiologist introduces materials into blood vessels to deliberately block them. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a catheter is advanced through the arterial or venous system to the target vessel, and embolic agents are injected to occlude it — stopping blood supply to a tumour, controlling haemorrhage, or treating vascular abnormalities.

Embolization avoids open surgery, is performed under local anaesthesia, and is usually a day procedure. It is one of the most widely used techniques in modern interventional radiology.

Embolic agents

🔩 Coils

Metallic micro-coils deployed in the target vessel to cause thrombosis. Used for varicocele, haemorrhage, aneurysm, pre-operative tumour embolization.

🔵 Calibrated microspheres

Spherical particles of defined size (100–900 µm) that block small arterial branches. Used in uterine fibroid embolization, prostate artery embolization, TACE.

💊 Drug-eluting beads (DEB)

Microspheres loaded with chemotherapy (doxorubicin). Used in DEB-TACE for hepatocellular carcinoma — combine embolization with local drug delivery.

🧪 Liquid agents (Onyx, glue)

Cyanoacrylate glue or Onyx for high-flow lesions, AVMs, and pelvic varicosities. Provides permanent, precise occlusion.

Applications

  • Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) — heavy periods, fibroids
  • Prostate artery embolization (PAE) — enlarged prostate, urinary symptoms
  • Varicocele embolization — scrotal pain, male infertility
  • Pelvic congestion syndrome — chronic pelvic pain in women
  • TACE (transarterial chemoembolization) — liver cancer
  • Haemorrhage control — post-partum, trauma, GI bleeding
  • Pre-operative tumour embolization — reduce intra-operative blood loss
  • Knee, shoulder, ankle — musculoskeletal embolization for chronic pain

Frequently asked questions

Embolization is a minimally invasive technique that blocks blood flow to a specific area — a tumour, an abnormal blood vessel, or a bleeding site — using a catheter introduced through a small puncture, without open surgery.
Many, including uterine fibroids, prostate enlargement, varicocele, pelvic congestion, knee osteoarthritis pain, haemorrhoids, liver tumours, and emergency bleeding control.
Yes. At Cochin AP-HP (a French public hospital), procedures are covered by national health insurance with no out-of-pocket fees. Contact ri.cch@aphp.fr or +33 1 58 41 46 12.

Related pages

Why this page is trustworthy

Written by the Interventional Radiology team at Cochin Hospital AP-HP, Université Paris Cité. Medically reviewed by an interventional radiologist of the department. Last updated: August 2026.

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