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Ask the Doctor at Saint John’s: Fibroid Treatment Options Q. I am a 48 year old woman and have fibroids that are bothering me. I have been advised to have a hysterectomy and remove my ovaries at that time too. Are there any alternatives? A. By William H. Parker, MD, a gynecologist and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Saint John’s Health Center First, it is important to know that fibroids are very common, and they
are never cancerous. Treatment is only necessary if the symptoms are causing
you enough discomfort or distress that you would consider one of the treatments
mentioned below, rather than waiting until menopause occurs when the fibroids
naturally shrink, and symptoms almost always resolve. If your symptoms are pain or pressure because the fibroids are making the uterus enlarged, then removal of just the fibroids, called myomectomy, can also be considered. In some situations, removal of the fibroids can be performed using a telescope through the navel (laparoscopic myomectomy), and for other women an abdominal bikini-type incision may be needed. Uterine artery embolization is a newer procedure that uses plastic particles
to For women who have tried other options without success, hysterectomy
may be the appropriate treatment for their fibroids. New surgical techniques
allow the procedure to be performed by laparoscopy for many women with
fibroids. This has the benefit of only a one night hospital stay and two
weeks until full recovery. |
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