Uterine artery occlusion

A uterine occlusion instrument, comprising:

• a shaft including a proximal end which, during use, remains outside the vagina accessible to a user;
• a compression element coupled to the shaft, the compression element including a distal rim shaped to engage a target portion of tissue surrounding the cervical opening;
• an anchoring mechanism anchoring the compression element in a desired position relative to the cervical opening;
• and
• an advancing mechanism moving the compression element distally relative to the anchoring mechanism to compress the target portion of tissue against an adjacent portion of a uterine wall occluding uterine arteries located therebetween.

A method of occluding uterine arteries, comprising:

• coupling an anchoring mechanism to tissue adjacent to a cervical opening;
• inserting into the vagina a compression element coupled to the anchoring mechanism so that a distal rim thereof engages a target portion of a vaginal formix;
• and
• advancing the compression element distally relative to the anchoring mechanism to compress the target portion of tissue against an adjacent portion of uterine wall occluding uterine arteries compressed therebetween.