Surgical excision of uterine myomas or fibroids!
Uterine fibroids (also known as leiomyomas) are a benign proliferation of smooth muscle cells of the uterus (myometrium), with the majority occurring during the childbearing years. The interesting fact is that a single cell divides repeatedly, eventually creating a firm, rubbery tissue. They can grow slowly of rapidly, be single or multiple, and can vary in size from microscopic to the size of a full-term pregnancy!! They are classified by their location as follows - submucosal (beneath the endometrium), intramural (in the muscular wall of the uterus), and subserosal (beneath the uterine serosa - the outermost layer). Most women with fibroids have no clinical symptoms at all, but those who do, experience abnormal uterine bleeding which presents with menorrhagia (menstrual periods with heavy or prolonged bleeding), and pelvic pain. Blood loss from fibroids can be heavy enough to cause chronic iron-deficiency anemia. Depending on the size and the location, the fibroid can compress the adjacent organs and cause additional complications such as constipation, frequent urination and venous stasis. There are theories that are believed to play a role in the cause of fibroids, these are hormonal changes (estrogen and progesterone) and genetics. Very rarely, a cancerous fibroid can occur, known as a leiomyosarcoma.Now the treatment is indicated only when there's a severe pain, heavy and irregular bleeding, infertility or pressure symptoms. Basically there are medical therapies (GnRH agonists are decreasing the estrogen levels, and shrinks the fibroid), and a surgical treatment, myomectomy or hysterectomy.Photo by @dralarcon