Uterine Fibroid: What Every Woman Needs to Know

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during your child bearing years. These growths occur in 1 in 4 women. In general, uterine fibroids cause no problems and seldom require treatment. Medical therapy and surgical procedures can shrink or remove fibroids if you have discomfort or troublesome symptoms. Rarely do fibroids require emergency treatment unless they cause sudden, sharp pelvic pain.

Most fibroids do not cause any symptoms, but some women with fibroids can have:

• Heavy bleeding or painful periods
• Bleeding between periods
• Feeling of fullness in the pelvic area (lower abdomen)
• Urinating often
• Pain during sex
• Lower back pain
• Reproductive problems, such as infertility, having more than one miscarriage, or having early onset of labor during pregnancy

Uterine fibroid embolisation (UFE) is a treatment that cuts off the blood supply to the uterus and the fibroids so they shrink. UFE is proving to be an alternative to hysterectomy and myomectomy. The recovery time is also shorter, and there is a lower risk of blood transfusion than for surgeries. Many women can have UFE and
go home the same day. Although there is a small risk of infection in the treated fibroid, these are usually managed with antibiotics.

Recent studies also suggest that most fibroid tumours are not likely to re-grow
after UFE, although more long-term data is needed. Not all fibroids can be treated with UFE. All patients must first be evaluated with ultrasound or MRI to make sure the fibroids will respond well to this treatment. Doctors called interventional radiologists perform UFE. The best candidates for UFE are women who:

• Have fibroid tumours that are causing heavy bleeding
• Have fibroid tumours that are causing pain or pressing on the bladder or rectum
• Don’t want to have a hysterectomy
• Don’t want to have more children

View Article As Advertise in Borneo Bulletin Friday, 16-Nov-2007