Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment's Dikshyanta Rana and Olivia Wu have conducted an economic evaluation of the NIHR-funded FEMME trial. Other trial collaborators included Honorary Professor Jonathan Moss and Professor Mary Ann Lumsden from the University of Glasgow, along with colleagues from the University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford and the NHS. Professor Klim McPherson from the University of Oxford was the Principal Investigator. 

Photo of surgeon with scalpel

The trial-based cost-utility analysis compared uterine artery embolization (UAE) and myomectomy for women with symptomatic uterine fibroids wishing to avoid hysterectomy.

Unlike hysterectomy, both procedures conserve the uterus and differ from each other in terms of their invasiveness, suitability, or preference to the women. Myomectomy is a conventional, surgical procedure where fibroids are removed from the womb. Whereas UAE is a non-surgical procedure that involves blocking the blood supply to the fibroids. Therefore, it is important to establish which procedure improves the women’s health-related quality of life and provides the best value for money to the NHS.

Findings from the economic evaluation show that myomectomy is a cost-effective option for treating fibroids. However, as the differences in costs and quality of life between the two procedures are small, all women should be fully informed and have the option to choose between UAE and myomectomy.

Read the paper or find out more about the trial  

First published: 14 March 2018

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