There are a number of treatment options for uterine fibroids. Treatment is only considered if symptoms cause discomfort, health risks, or the size and location of the fibroid affects fertility. Talk with your doctor about the best possible treatment options for your specific case.

Watchful Waiting and Annual Pelvic Exam
When no symptoms are present, gynecologists often recommend "watchful waiting". Watchful waiting involves the careful monitoring of symptoms. For most women, this is all the treatment that will ever be required.

Medication
Nonprescription painkillers often provide adequate pain management. Medications used also include hormone-blocking drugs. Certain hormones have been linked to fibroid growth; blocking these slows abnormal growth rates, and may even shrink the myoma.

Myomectomy
Abdominal myomectomy is a procedure in which uterine fibroids are surgically removed from the uterus. Depending on the size and placement of the fibroids, abdominal myomectomy can be an outpatient laparoscopic surgery or an open surgery requiring a one to three day stay in the hospital. Abdominal myomectomy is a major surgery that involves cutting out fibroids and stitching the uterus back together.

Abdominal myomectomy has become less invasive as laparoscopic techniques have been developed. Many patients previously treated with open surgery can now benefit from minimally invasive surgery. In general, the procedure is successful in controlling symptoms, but the more fibroids a patient has, the more challenging the surgery. In addition, fibroids may grow back in the future.

Hysteroscopic myomectomy is a procedure used to remove fibroids that enter the uterine cavity and cause menstrual bleeding abnormalities. The procedure is performed through the vagina as an outpatient surgery. Patients typically go home the day of surgery and are generally able to return to work the next day. Pain management rarely consists of more than mild over-the-counter painkillers.

Myomectomy is the procedure of choice in women wishing to preserve fertility as other uterine preserving techniques (UAE and myolysis) may more adversely affect the integrity of the uterus and complicate future pregnancies.

Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of a woman's uterus. Usually performed by a gynecologist, a hysterectomy may be total (removing the entire uterus and cervix) or subtotal (leaving the cervix). In some cases, surgical removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) is performed at the same time as the hysterectomy.

Women who undergo hysterectomy with removal of both ovaries lose most of their ability to produce the hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. As a result, they enter what is known as "surgical menopause" and will likely experience hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopausal symptoms. Women who undergo hysterectomy without removal of the ovaries will not experience menopausal symptoms, but will cease to have periods and will no longer be able to carry a pregnancy.

Hysterectomy can be performed abdominally, vaginally or laparoscopically. Abdominal hysterectomy, which has been the traditional surgical approach to women with symptomatic fibroids, requires a single long abdominal incision, and is associated with the longest hospital stay, recovery, and the highest complication rates. Less invasive approaches including vaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomy have shorter recovery times and lower complication rates. Some minimally invasive hysterectomies are now routinely performed as outpatient surgeries with patients returning to work in less than two weeks' time.

Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE)
A minimally invasive procedure, uterine artery embolization may eliminate the need for surgical treatment. It is performed while the patient is conscious, but sedated and feeling no pain. The procedure involves placing a small catheter into an artery in the groin and directing it to the blood supply of the fibroids.

Tiny particles are injected through the catheter to block the blood flow to the fibroid, causing it to shrink and symptoms to subside. Uterine artery embolization usually requires a hospital stay of one night. Many women resume light activity in a few days and the vast majority of women are able to return to normal activities within seven to 10 days.

Total recovery generally takes one to two weeks, but it can take longer.

Research has shown fibroid embolization to be at least 85 percent effective in reducing bleeding and alleviating pain. Many women have described significant change in their symptoms within days. Most patients find that UAE reduces or completely alleviates their symptoms.

Uterine artery embolization at GW Hospital is performed by interventional radiologists Anthony Venbrux, MD and Elizabeth Ignacio, MD. To schedule an appointment for UAE, please call (202) 715-5155.