There are many ailments that can produce pain in the pelvic region, but one that is often overlooked or misdiagnosed is pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS). Affecting approximately 10% of women, PCS is a very common condition that can easily be treated with a minimally invasive surgery.

Pelvic vein embolization is a minimally invasive treatment that uses catheters inserted through veins in the groin to clear pelvic vein congestion with coils or embolization particles. If a female patient complains of pelvic discomfort, and other medical issues have been ruled out, ordering a magnetic resonance venogram (MRV) and referring the patient to an interventional radiologist or endovascular surgeon could help the patient get relief from a very quick outpatient procedure.

David A. Greuner, MD, FACS, FICS