Pelvic pain syndrome caused by ovarian varices. Treatment by transcatheter embolization.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of therapeutic embolization in the pelvic congestion syndrome caused by ovarian varices.

Material And Methods: Six women, aged 25-40 years, with pelvic pain syndrome and marked left (n = 5) or bilateral (n = 1) ovarian varicocele were treated by transcatheter retrograde venous embolization.

Results: The pelvic pain syndrome disappeared in all patients within 4 weeks, and there was regression of the periodic pain in 2 women with dysmenorrhoea. The patients were free of symptoms during the 1-4-year follow-up.

Conclusion: Marked ovarian varices may cause a pelvic pain syndrome. Percutaneous embolization improves both the chronic pain and the dysmenorrhea in these patients. Transcatheter treatment could be considered as an alternative to surgical or laparoscopic ligation in ovarian varicocele.