A myomectomy is a surgical procedure that removes fibroids from a woman’s uterus without removing the uterus itself. This option allows for women that still want to have children avoid a hysterectomy.
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are common among women at every age (particularly women during childbearing years), but they’re generally harmless and noncancerous. A myomectomy is a very effective gynecological surgery.
The downside is that, even if you have all fibroids removed, there’s a possibility they’ll grow back.
Smaller fibroids are often left alone and just monitored by your OB/GYN, but larger ones have to be removed either by laparoscopic myomectomy or an abdominal (also called “open”) myomectomy.
If larger ones are not removed, they can affect fertility and also begin to push on your uterus or take up space, causing a growing fetus to experience possible complications.
What is a myomectomy?
A myomectomy is considered a major surgery if it’s done in the traditional way.
An abdominal myomectomy requires an incision along your lower abdomen (think bikini line) that takes stitches on several layers to close. It can often cause a fair amount of blood loss, but doctors are aware of this problem and do everything they can to minimize it. An abdominal myomectomy requires a four to six week recovery time.
If the fibroids are smaller or closer to the surface of the uterus, a surgeon may be able to remove them by doing a laparoscopic myomectomy. There are only certain situations where this option is successful, but it has been proven to be safer than the traditional surgery.
The benefits of laparoscopic myomectomy
A study done by the NCBI found that a laparoscopic myomectomy caused significantly less pain and blood loss than an abdominal myomectomy.
In addition, operation time and recovery time were much faster in those that had the procedure done laparoscopically.
However, both operations have a small chance for major complications and both have a high success rate.
If you are struggling with uterine fibroids or have questions about having a myomectomy, talk with your doctor. If you’re looking for a women’s doctor in central Florida, the experienced gynecologists at All About Women would love to talk to you about any questions or concerns you have.
Make an appointment at our Gainesville or Lake City office today.
