Uterine fibroids
What kind of doctor performs uterine fibroid embolization, what a search result or directory listing cannot tell you, a checklist for verifying a UFE specialist, the questions to ask at the consultation, and where UFE is offered at our Fountain Valley, Van Nuys and Tarzana offices.
Editorially updated October 20, 2026. This educational article was prepared by SoCal Interventional using the cited primary and authoritative sources. It does not replace an individualized medical evaluation.
Quick answer: Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is performed by an interventional radiologist, a physician trained in image-guided, catheter-based procedures, usually in a catheterization lab and often as an outpatient procedure. A “UFE near me” search shows you who is advertising, not who is qualified. Before scheduling, verify the physician’s California license, ask how many fibroid embolizations the practice performs, confirm that an MRI or ultrasound is reviewed before any procedure is recommended, and ask who manages the first week after treatment. SoCal Interventional offers UFE evaluation in Orange County at our Fountain Valley office and in Los Angeles at our Van Nuys and Tarzana offices, all under one phone number, (310) 929-0026.
We are an interventional radiology practice. Gynecologic care, including the pelvic exam, cancer screening and any biopsy, stays with your own gynecologist, and we coordinate the embolization with them.
An interventional radiologist performs uterine fibroid embolization. ACOG states that “a doctor called an interventional radiologist usually performs UAE,” and RadiologyInfo.org describes the procedure being done by an interventional radiologist in a catheterization lab, usually within 90 minutes. Your gynecologist diagnoses the fibroids and remains your long-term women’s health physician; the two specialists work together.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that “a doctor called an interventional radiologist usually performs UAE” (uterine artery embolization, the clinical name for UFE), and that it is often done as an outpatient procedure. In the procedure, a thin catheter is guided from an artery at the wrist or the top of the leg into the arteries supplying the uterus, and tiny particles are injected to block the blood flow to the fibroids, which then shrink over the following months. RadiologyInfo.org, the patient site of the Radiological Society of North America and the American College of Radiology, notes that the interventional radiologist performs UFE in a catheterization lab, that the procedure is usually complete within 90 minutes, and that candidacy is assessed with MRI or ultrasound of the uterus, which also shows the size, number and location of the fibroids.
That division of labor matters when you search. Your gynecologist diagnoses fibroids, rules out other causes of bleeding, and remains your long-term women’s health physician. The interventional radiologist evaluates whether embolization fits your fibroids and your goals, performs it, and follows the early recovery. The best outcomes come from the two working together, so a specialist who asks for your gynecologist’s notes and imaging, rather than replacing that relationship, is a good sign.
A “UFE near me” result tells you who is advertising and who is nearby, not who is qualified. It does not show how many embolizations the physician has performed, whether MRI or ultrasound is reviewed before a procedure is offered, or how complications are handled; star ratings mostly reflect the office experience, and a listing’s address may not be where treatment happens.
Search results for “uterine fibroid embolization near me” or “UFE doctor Orange County” are a mix of paid advertisements, directory listings, hospital pages and clinic websites, ranked by relevance and advertising, not by training or results. A high position tells you nothing about how many embolizations the physician has performed, whether imaging is reviewed before a procedure is offered, or how complications are handled. Star ratings describe the office experience more than the clinical outcome, and a listing can show a nearby address for a physician who actually treats patients elsewhere. The checklist below is what to confirm before you book.
To verify a UFE specialist, check the physician’s California medical license on the Medical Board’s DCA license search, ask about interventional radiology training and board certification, ask how many fibroid embolizations they perform each year, confirm that imaging and your gynecologist’s records are reviewed before any recommendation, and ask who manages the first week after the procedure.
| What to check | Why it matters | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| Active California medical license | Confirms the physician is licensed and shows any disciplinary history. | Search the physician’s name in the California Department of Consumer Affairs license search (Medical Board of California). Each record shows whether a license is current, expired, or has been subject to disciplinary action. |
| Interventional radiology training | UFE is a catheter-based, image-guided arterial procedure; ACOG and RadiologyInfo both describe it as performed by an interventional radiologist. | Ask where the physician completed radiology residency and interventional radiology training, and whether they are board certified in interventional radiology. |
| Fibroid embolization volume | RadiologyInfo notes that when UFE is performed by an experienced interventional radiologist, the chance of catheter-related events such as vessel damage, bleeding or infection is less than one percent. | Ask how many UFE procedures the physician performs in a typical year and how many they have performed overall. |
| Imaging before any recommendation | MRI or ultrasound shows fibroid size, number and location, and helps exclude other causes of symptoms. UFE should not be offered when cancer is a possibility. | Confirm that a pelvic MRI or ultrasound is reviewed, and your gynecologist’s records requested, before embolization is recommended. |
| A plan for the first week | Post-embolization pain, cramping, nausea and low-grade fever are expected; SIR describes them as typically resolving within 2 to 7 days. | Ask who you call after hours, how pain is managed, and whether an overnight stay is offered when pain control needs it. |
| Coordination with your gynecologist | Pelvic exams, endometrial evaluation and long-term women’s health care remain with the gynecologist. | Ask whether the practice sends a consultation report and follow-up imaging results to your gynecologist. |
| Insurance participation at the office you will use | Network participation can differ by location and plan. | Ask the office to verify your plan and any prior authorization before the consultation. |
You can expect symptom relief in most cases: roughly three in four women in the study ACOG cites, and about nine in ten in the SIR and RadiologyInfo summaries, with fibroids shrinking to about half their volume. About one in five later needs another fibroid procedure, and in the 10-year EMMY trial about two-thirds of UAE patients avoided hysterectomy.
Different sources report different numbers because they measure different things over different periods. ACOG’s patient FAQ cites a study in which “about 3 in 4 women who had UAE got relief from fibroid symptoms,” and notes that “about 1 in 5 women who had UAE later needed another surgery for their fibroids,” which could be a second UAE, a myomectomy or a hysterectomy. The Society of Interventional Radiology and RadiologyInfo.org both state that approximately nine out of ten women experience significant or complete improvement in their symptoms, and RadiologyInfo adds that fibroids shrink on average to about half their original volume.
The longest randomized comparison is the Dutch EMMY trial, which randomized 177 women to UAE or hysterectomy. At ten years, 28 of 81 women in the UAE group (35 percent) had undergone a hysterectomy, health-related quality of life was comparable between the groups, and 78 percent of UAE patients were satisfied or very satisfied compared with 87 percent after hysterectomy. The authors concluded that about two thirds of UAE-treated women avoided hysterectomy. Our UFE treatment page summarizes the registry and trial results in one table.
On risks, ACOG lists bleeding, infection or bruising, injury to an artery or the uterus, problems with a future pregnancy, ovarian problems or early menopause (especially at age 45 or older), and delayed diagnosis of a rare cancer mistaken for a fibroid. RadiologyInfo puts the chance of menopause after UFE at roughly one to five percent, more often in women over 45, and notes that two to three percent of patients pass fibroid tissue, which may require a D&C. ACOG notes that it may take two to three months before you see a change in your fibroid symptoms and that fibroids may keep shrinking for a year or more; most people return to normal activity within one to two weeks. Our UFE recovery timeline walks through the first day, the first week and the first three months.
SoCal Interventional sees UFE patients at three offices under one phone number, (310) 929-0026, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Dr. Nathanael Sabbah, an interventional radiologist, performs the evaluation and the embolization. The office pages describe which communities usually choose each location.
| Office | Address | Patients who usually choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Fountain Valley | 10900 Warner Ave, Suite 101A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 | Orange County (Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Westminster, Anaheim, Orange), Riverside and north San Diego County |
| Van Nuys | 15211 Vanowen St, Suite 305, Van Nuys, CA 91405 | Central and north San Fernando Valley; Westwood and Santa Monica via the 405; Antelope Valley via the 14 |
| Tarzana | 18370 Burbank Blvd, 5th Floor, Tarzana, CA 91356 | West Valley, Conejo Valley and the Westside (Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood) |
Orange County patients are seen for UFE at our Fountain Valley office, 10900 Warner Ave, Suite 101A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, about 15 minutes from the former Irvine office via the I-405. Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and Laguna Hills patients all use this office; there is no separate south Orange County location.
Searching for “UFE doctor Orange County” or “uterine fibroid treatment near me” from Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach or Santa Ana? Our uterine fibroid embolization in Fountain Valley page covers directions to 10900 Warner Ave, Suite 101A, what to bring, and how the consultation, procedure day and follow-up are planned. The former Irvine office has moved to Fountain Valley, about 15 minutes away via the I-405. Patients from Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and Laguna Hills are also seen in Fountain Valley; there is no separate south Orange County office.
Los Angeles, Westside and San Fernando Valley patients are seen at the Van Nuys and Tarzana offices; the uterine fibroid embolization in Los Angeles page describes both. Patients driving in from Palmdale and Lancaster can read UFE for Antelope Valley patients for how visits are grouped around the drive. Whichever office is closest, the evaluation steps described above are the same, and the UFE candidacy guide explains who is usually considered and who needs further evaluation first.
An interventional radiologist, a physician trained in image-guided, catheter-based procedures. ACOG states that an interventional radiologist usually performs UAE. Your gynecologist continues to provide pelvic exams, cancer screening and long-term women’s health care.
Search the physician’s name in the California Department of Consumer Affairs license search, which covers the Medical Board of California. The record shows whether the license is current, expired, or has been subject to disciplinary action.
Yes. SoCal Interventional evaluates and treats Orange County patients at 10900 Warner Ave, Suite 101A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Confirm the office for each visit before traveling.
Referral requirements depend on your insurance plan, not on the procedure. Even when a referral is not required, we ask for your gynecologist’s notes and your pelvic ultrasound or MRI so the evaluation starts with your own records.
Experience and the use of imaging before a recommendation matter more than a few extra miles. If the nearest listing cannot tell you how many fibroid embolizations the physician performs or does not review MRI or ultrasound first, a longer drive to a practice that does may be worthwhile.
ACOG notes it may take two to three months before you see a change in fibroid symptoms, and fibroids may keep shrinking for a year or more. Most people return to normal activity within one to two weeks.
Call (310) 929-0026 or request a consultation. Orange County patients are seen at our Fountain Valley office, 10900 Warner Ave, Suite 101A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708; Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley patients are seen in Van Nuys and Tarzana. Bring your pelvic ultrasound or MRI report, your gynecologist’s notes, your medication list and your insurance card.
Medical disclaimer: This article provides general education for patients looking for a uterine fibroid embolization specialist and cannot determine whether UFE is appropriate for any individual. The figures above are averages from registries and randomized trials conducted in different health systems; your own candidacy, likely benefit, risks and alternatives require an in-person evaluation and coordination with your gynecologist.
Explore more: Read the complete uterine fibroid embolization guide, the UFE recovery timeline, UFE vs hysterectomy recovery, and our Medical Editorial Policy.
Medical content reviewed by Nathanael Sabbah, MD, interventional radiologist. Last reviewed: October 2026.