A dull ache builds through the day
Heaviness or pressure may worsen after prolonged standing, walking, sitting, or lifting—and ease when you lie down.
Pelvic Vein Embolization
Treat pelvic venous reflux.
When refluxing ovarian or pelvic veins are driving chronic pressure, heaviness, or aching, EVSLA can close the faulty routes through a tiny catheter—without open pelvic surgery.
We look for a match between your symptoms and the vein findings. Dilated pelvic veins on a scan alone do not always need treatment.
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Tiny venous access
Catheter treatment through the neck, arm, or groin.
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Targeted reflux closure
Treat selected ovarian or pelvic vein routes.
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Usually same-day care
Short observation followed by home recovery.
When Pelvic Pressure Keeps Returning
Pelvic venous reflux can create a recognizable pattern—but chronic pelvic pain has many possible causes. The first goal is to determine whether the vein findings actually fit what you feel.
Intimacy triggers or deepens pain
Some patients notice deep pelvic pain during or after sex, often along with a persistent heavy or aching sensation.
Veins appear in unusual places
Vulvar, perineal, upper-thigh, buttock, or recurring leg varicose veins may point toward a pelvic source.
Symptoms follow a pelvic pattern
Pain may intensify before or during a period and can occur with low-back discomfort, urinary urgency, or leg heaviness.
New severe pelvic pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, fever, or a possible pregnancy needs prompt medical evaluation.
Discuss Persistent Pelvic SymptomsThese symptoms are not a reason to wait for a routine embolization consultation.
How Pelvic Vein Embolization Redirects Reflux
The procedure closes selected faulty veins from inside. Healthy veins keep moving blood back toward the heart.
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Reach the veins through a tiny puncture
A thin catheter enters a vein—often in the neck, arm, or groin—under local numbing and image guidance.
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Map the backward flow
Contrast and live X-ray imaging show which ovarian or pelvic branches are refluxing and where blood is pooling.
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Close the selected routes
Coils, plugs, sclerosant, foam, or a combination are placed in the targeted veins to stop abnormal backward flow.
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Let pressure ease gradually
Blood redirects through healthier veins. Pelvic pressure and vein-related symptoms can improve over the following weeks or months.
The treatment plan follows the anatomy. Some people have reflux alone. Others have an iliac or renal vein compression that may call for a different or combined plan rather than embolization alone.
Could Embolization Fit Your Pelvic Symptoms?
A strong treatment decision connects the symptom pattern, targeted imaging, prior pelvic evaluation, and the exact source of reflux—not one scan finding in isolation.
Embolization may be worth discussing if you...
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Have chronic pressure, heaviness, or achingYour symptoms follow a venous pattern and continue to affect daily life, intimacy, work, or exercise.
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Have reflux on targeted imagingUltrasound, CT, MR, or venography identifies ovarian or pelvic venous reflux that matches the clinical picture.
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Have recurring pelvic-origin varicose veinsVulvar, perineal, upper-thigh, buttock, or leg veins may be receiving pressure from a pelvic source.
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Want to compare a catheter-based optionYou want to understand treatment without open pelvic surgery, including its risks, limits, and recovery.
Let’s evaluate another cause or path first if...
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Dilated veins were an incidental scan findingMany people have enlarged pelvic veins without symptoms; imaging alone does not establish the source of pain.
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Your symptoms point to another pelvic conditionGynecologic, urinary, gastrointestinal, pelvic-floor, musculoskeletal, or other causes may need focused evaluation.
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The main problem is an outflow obstructionIliac or renal vein compression may require different imaging and a separate stenting or multidisciplinary discussion.
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You are pregnant or have an acute infection or clot concernTiming, radiation, contrast, medications, and procedural risk need individualized medical review.
Pelvic pain deserves coordinated care. EVSLA may work with your OB-GYN, pelvic-health clinician, urologist, gastroenterologist, or another specialist so a venous procedure is chosen only when the vein findings make clinical sense.
Treat the Pattern, Not Just the Scan
Pelvic symptoms can come from reflux, obstruction, another pelvic condition, or more than one source. The next step should match the problem found.
Symptom-directed care
Medication, hormonal management, compression, pelvic-floor therapy, or another specialist’s treatment may be appropriate when the pain source is not primarily venous.
Best fitSymptoms or workup point to another pelvic cause
PlanningOften coordinated with gynecology or pelvic-health care
GoalTreat the confirmed source rather than an incidental vein finding
TradeoffDoes not close documented refluxing pelvic veins
Pelvic vein embolization
Closes selected refluxing ovarian or pelvic branches from inside so blood can redirect through healthier drainage routes.
AccessTiny venous puncture; no open pelvic incision
Best fitSymptoms and imaging support reflux as a meaningful source
RecoveryUsually same-day discharge with a short activity restriction
TradeoffSymptoms may persist or recur, and repeat treatment can be needed
Obstruction or surgical care
Vein stenting may be considered for meaningful iliac outflow obstruction, while surgery or another specialty treatment may address a non-venous pelvic cause.
Best fitCompression, obstruction, or another condition drives the symptoms
PlanningMay require additional imaging and multidisciplinary review
GoalOpen blocked outflow or treat a different pain source
TradeoffRisks, recovery, durability, and follow-up differ by treatment
No single pelvic vein plan fits everyone. Embolization is designed for symptomatic reflux. Stenting addresses obstruction. Other pelvic conditions need their own treatment path. EVSLA’s role is to make that distinction clear before treatment.
A Small Puncture. A Gradual Change.
Most patients leave the same day, but the treated veins and surrounding tissues need time to settle.
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Recover under observation
Your team watches the access site, manages discomfort, confirms you can walk, and reviews your home instructions.
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Expect temporary aching
Pelvic or low-back soreness, fatigue, mild bruising, nausea, or a low fever can occur. Use only the medicines your care team recommends.
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Build back toward routine
Walking is encouraged. Heavy lifting, strenuous exercise, and sexual activity may be limited for a short period.
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Track the symptom pattern
Vein-related pressure may improve gradually. Follow-up focuses on your symptoms, access site, and whether more imaging is needed.
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Your discharge instructions explain exactly when to call.
Severe or worsening pain, heavy bleeding, fever that persists, spreading redness, leg swelling, chest pain, or shortness of breath needs prompt medical guidance.
Check Your Coverage Before Treatment
Pelvic vein embolization coverage varies by insurer and may depend on chronic symptoms, diagnostic findings, prior evaluation, documented medical necessity, network status, and authorization rules. EVSLA can help review known requirements before treatment.
Benefit verification is not a guarantee of coverage or payment. Your insurer makes the final determination.
Three board-certified specialists
From venous imaging through follow-up, your EVSLA specialist connects the anatomy to your symptoms and coordinates with the rest of your pelvic-care team when needed.
Harout Dermendjian, MD
Endovascular SpecialistMeet Dr. Dermendjian
Clear venous evaluation, image-guided treatment planning, and follow-up in one connected care path.
Kartik Kansagra, MD
Endovascular SpecialistMeet Dr. Kansagra
A collaborative approach that connects pelvic vein findings with the symptoms that matter most.
Sipan Mathevosian, MD
Endovascular SpecialistMeet Dr. Mathevosian
Vascular and interventional radiology experience across embolization and complex pelvic venous care.
Pelvic vein consultations across three Los Angeles-area locations
Pelvic Vein Embolization Questions
Direct answers about diagnosis, procedure names, pain, coils, fertility, recovery, risks, recurrence, and insurance.
The terms overlap. Ovarian vein embolization describes treatment of refluxing ovarian veins, while pelvic vein embolization may also include selected internal iliac tributaries or other pelvic venous routes. The exact targets depend on your symptoms and venous anatomy.
A venous diagnosis should connect your symptom pattern with examination and targeted imaging. Enlarged pelvic veins on a scan alone do not prove they are causing pain, so gynecologic, urinary, gastrointestinal, pelvic-floor, and musculoskeletal causes may also need evaluation.
The access site is numbed and light or moderate sedation may be used. Pressure during the procedure and temporary pelvic or low-back aching afterward can occur. Your care team provides an individualized comfort and recovery plan.
When coils or plugs are used, they are intended to remain in the treated vein. Sclerosant or foam may also be used for smaller branches. Your physician chooses the material plan based on the veins being treated.
No. Pelvic vein embolization works inside selected veins and does not remove the uterus or ovaries. It is different from hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and other pelvic surgery.
Pregnancy after embolization has been reported, but your reproductive plans and the limits of the available evidence should be discussed before treatment. Pregnancy can also change pelvic veins and symptoms, so future pregnancy goals belong in the decision.
Many patients go home the same day and begin returning toward routine activity within several days. Temporary pelvic or back aching, fatigue, bruising, or a low fever may occur. Heavy lifting and strenuous activity may be limited for a short period.
Possible risks include access-site bleeding, infection, contrast reaction, vein inflammation or clotting, temporary pain, non-target embolization, coil migration, radiation exposure, persistent symptoms, and recurrence. Another venous route or a different pain source may require further evaluation or treatment.
Coverage depends on symptoms, diagnostic findings, medical necessity, prior evaluation, network status, plan rules, and authorization requirements. EVSLA can help check known benefits, but verification does not guarantee payment.
Find Out Whether Pelvic Vein Embolization Fits Your Symptoms
EVSLA can review your symptom pattern, prior pelvic evaluation, and venous imaging—then explain whether embolization, stenting, another specialist, or no vein procedure makes the most sense.