Monitored Anesthesia Care Primarily Using Dexmedetomidine Provides Safe Sedation and Analgesic Effect in Uterine Artery Embolization: A Case Report

Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) has been used as a specific anesthesia service for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures performed under local anesthesia along with sedation and analgesia. Procedures such as trans arterial chemoembolization (TACE) or uterine artery embolization (UAE) performed in interventional radiology are typically accompanied by post-embolization syndrome (PES). While in TACE for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment, the severity of PES tends to be milder due to the liver’s dual blood supply, the degree is notably more severe in the case of UAE. Furthermore, the symptoms of PES after UAE procedure tend to follow a typical pattern. Most UAE patients do not develop pain until after the procedure has concluded. It is during the recovery period that patients frequently need significant doses of narcotics and analgesics to alleviate the pain. This report elucidates the application of MAC using dexmedetomidine in UAE, aimed to maintain adequate sedation during procedure and reduce severe pain after procedure.