Surgery to remove fibroids is indicated when the woman has symptoms such as severe abdominal pain and heavy menstruation, which do not improve with the use of medications, but in addition, the woman’s interest in becoming pregnant should be evaluated as surgery can make pregnancy difficult. . Surgery is not necessary when symptoms can be controlled with medication or when a woman enters menopause.
Fibroids are benign tumors that appear in the uterus in women of childbearing potential, causing serious discomfort such as menstrual bleeding and severe cramps that are difficult to control. Medications can reduce their size and control symptoms, but when they don’t, the gynecologist may suggest that the fibroid be removed by surgery.
- Myomectomy is surgery to remove the fibroid from your uterus.
- And there are 3 different ways to perform a myomectomy:.
Normally, surgery for fibroid removal can control symptoms of pain and excessive bleeding in 80% of cases, however, in some women, surgery may not be definitive and a new fibroid appears elsewhere in the uterus, approximately 10 years later. your doctor often chooses to remove the uterus instead of removing only your fibroid. Learn all about removing the uterus.
Your doctor may also choose to remove the endometrium or embolize the arteries that feed the fibroids, as long as it is not more than 8 cm tall or if the fibroid is in the back wall of the uterus, as this area has many blood vessels, and cannot be cut through surgery.
Recovery is usually fast but the woman needs to rest for at least 1 week to heal properly, avoiding any physical exertion during this period, sexual contact should not be performed until 40 days after surgery to avoid pain and infection. See your doctor if you experience symptoms such as a stronger odor in your vagina, vaginal discharge, and very severe red bleeding.
When surgery to remove the fibroid is performed by an experienced gynecologist, the woman can be sure that the techniques are safe for health and that her risks can be controlled; however, during myomectomy surgery, bleeding may occur and the uterus may need to be removed. In addition, some authors argue that the scar left in the uterus may promote uterine rupture during pregnancy or childbirth, but this is rarely the case.
When a woman is very overweight, before performing abdominal surgery, weight loss is needed to reduce the risk of surgery, but in case of obesity, removal of the uterus through the vagina may be indicated.
In addition, studies show that some women, although their uterus is preserved, are less likely to become pregnant after surgery, due to scar adhesions that form as a result of surgery. It is thought that in half of cases, surgery can lead to pregnancy. difficult within the first 5 years after the procedure.