Uterine fibroids

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Pelvic laparoscopy

Female reproductive anatomy

Uterine fibroids

Alternative Names:

Leiomyoma; Fibromyoma; Myoma; Fibroids
Treatment:

Methods of treatment depend on the severity of symptoms, the patient's age, her pregnancy status, her possible desire for future pregnancies, her general health, and characteristics of the fibroids. Treatment may consist of simply monitoring the rate of growth of the fibroids with periodic pelvic exams or ultrasound.

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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naprosyn may be recommended for lower abdominal cramping or pain with menses. Iron supplementation will help to prevent anemia in women with heavy periods. These methods are usually sufficient in premenopausal women.

Hormonal treatment, involving drugs such as injectable Depo Leuprolide, causes fibroids to shrink, but can also cause significant side effects. This method is sometimes used for short treatment periods before surgical procedures or when menopause is imminent.

The hormones produce an environment in the body that is very similar to that of menopause, with associated side effects like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and loss of bone density.

The treatment lasts several months and during this time the reduction in estrogen concentration allows the fibroids to shrink. Fibroids will begin to enlarge as soon as treatment stops.

Hysteroscopic resection of fibroids (an outpatient surgical procedure) may be appropriate for women with fibroids growing within the uterine cavity. In this procedure, a small camera and instruments are inserted through the cervix into the uterus to remove the fibroid tumors.

Uterine artery embolization is a new procedure aimed at preventing the need for major surgery. Small catheters are placed through veins in the pelvis and advanced to the arteries that supply the uterus with blood.

Materials are then injected to block these arteries permanently. The decreased blood supply to the uterus may prevent further growth of the fibroids and may cause them to shrink. The long-term effects of this procedure are still unknown, and the safety of pregnancy after this procedure is questionable.

A myomectomy, which is a surgical procedure to remove just the fibroids, is frequently the chosen treatment for premenopausal women who want to bear more children, because it usually can preserve fertility.