Uterine Fibroid Removal

When you are diagnosed with uterine fibroids you may hear that it is not a life-threatening condition. However, for many women living with fibroids, it is a life-limiting issue because of the pain, discomfort, heavy menstrual bleeding, struggles with fertility, painful sex, bloating, and so many other problems relating to these growths. This is why many women discuss the option for uterine fibroid removal with their medical providers.

Generally, it is those with moderate and severe symptoms who elect to pursue uterine fibroid removal, and it is best to understand the options as well as any risks.

The Available Treatments

When you are considering uterine fibroid removal, it means you are considering one of three possible courses of action:

• Hysterectomy – This removes the uterus (and may include other surrounding organs) and is done to prevent the reappearance of the growths. This is commonly suggested for severe cases and for women close to or past menopause. The most common method is a partial hysterectomy, but total and even radical procedures may be required.
• Myometcomy – This leaves the uterus intact, and addresses only the fibroids. It is done in a few ways and these will vary according to the size and the location of the fibroids. The first way is through hysteroscopy, which is done through the vagina and requires a mechanical device to cut away or eradicate the tissue. There are laparotomy procedures that are done through the abdomen, and there are laparoscopies done through the abdomen, but which are far less invasive.
• Endometrial Ablation – This process actually damages the lining of the uterus in order to treat even the tiniest tumors in the uterus. The ablation is done with microwave energy or with a special type of balloon. Those who hope to become pregnant after this procedure may find it impossible.

These are the most common methods of uterine fibroid removal, and in 2014, the FDA issued a formal warning against another type of uterine fibroid removal procedure. Described as the laparoscopic power morcellation procedure, the FDA says, “If the woman also has uterine cancer, this procedure can risk spreading the cancer within the abdomen and pelvis, making it harder to treat.” (Cancer.org)

What this tells us is that a woman told that she should consider uterine fibroid removal should also discuss the risks of uterine cancer being present too. This is a particularly challenging form of cancer to detect early, and it rarely shows signs until it has advanced and set in. And it also tells us that a physician using a power morcellator must be avoided as this device has earned consistent criticism and scrutiny by the FDA and other groups.

And though a missed diagnosis may not seem possible, the FDA statistics are shocking. They have determined that roughly one in every 350 women treated for uterine fibroids through removal of the uterus or the growths themselves were also found to have uterine sarcoma, and in all cases the discovery only came about when the tissue surgically removed was scrutinized beneath a microscope. What this tells us is that the women were already in need of cancer treatment, but their physicians had failed to diagnose the issue.

If you are told you have fibroids and that removal is the best option, be sure you discuss the issue of uterine cancer too. If a second opinion is needed, pursue it. If you have already been treated for fibroids and fear cancer has been overlooked, speak to your physician and also get in touch with an attorney. There is a growing awareness of the risks, and so any missed diagnoses are no longer excusable.

Sources

Cancer.org. FDA warns of… http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/uterine/conditioninfo/treatments/Pages/surgical-treatments.aspx

NIH. Surgical Treatments for Fibroids.http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/uterine/conditioninfo/treatments/Pages/surgical-treatments.aspx