Myoma surgery aims to prevent the risk of complications and other health problems that can be caused by fibroids. The type of surgery to be performed is generally adjusted to the symptoms experienced by the patient and the size of the myoma.
Uterine fibroids or fibroids are abnormal lumps that grow on the uterine wall. These lumps are often experienced by women aged around 30-50 years, especially those who have a family history of fibroids.
Myomas are generally benign and harmless. However, this disease can cause problems getting pregnant and cause a variety of disturbing symptoms, such as pain and vaginal bleeding outside of menstruation. These disturbing myoma conditions generally need to be treated with surgery.
Conditions Requiring Miom Surgery
Most women who experience fibroids will not feel any symptoms. This condition is often only detected during routine health checks to the doctor. Myomas that do not cause complaints and interfere with daily activities generally do not require special treatment.
However, in certain cases, fibroids need to be treated surgically. The following are symptoms that make fibroids require surgery:
- Lower abdominal pain or pressure
- A lump appears in the stomach
- Heavy bleeding or menstruation
- Menstrual period lasting more than a week
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Difficult to get pregnant
In addition, fibroids can sometimes increase the risk of pregnancy complications, such as placental abruption, premature birth, and miscarriage. Therefore, if you experience fibroids during pregnancy, immediately consult a doctor to determine the right treatment.
Different Types of Mioma Surgery
Doctors will generally suggest surgical steps to remove the myoma. However, fibroid surgery needs to be adjusted to the number and size of the myoma and the location of the myoma in the uterus. The following are some types of fibroid surgery that can be performed by doctors:
1. Endometrial ablation
Endometrial ablation is a fibroid surgery that can be performed if the fibroids are small and located on the inside of the uterus. This surgery can be done with frozen surgery techniques, laser surgery, or electrosurgery.
Endometrial ablation is not to remove fibroids, but to destroy the uterine lining to treat excessive menstrual bleeding due to fibroids. Prior to this procedure, the patient will be sedated to avoid pain during the procedure.
2. Myomectomy
Myomectomy is a surgical procedure to remove fibroids without removing healthy and functioning uterine tissue. Myoma surgery is usually performed on patients who still want to get pregnant. There are several types of myomectomy surgery, including:
Hysteroscopy
Hysteroscopy is usually performed in cases of fibroids that are small in size and few in number. In this procedure, the doctor will insert an elastic tube equipped with a camera and a small light to see the condition of the vagina and uterus.
When the myoma is visible, the doctor will cut or destroy the myoma through the tool.
Laparoscopy
Similar to hysteroscopy, laparoscopy is performed to treat fibroids that are small in size and few in number.
When performing an obstetrical laparoscopy, the doctor will make two small incisions in the patient's abdomen, then insert a special instrument equipped with a camera through one of the incisions to see the condition of the inside of the pelvis and around the uterus.
After that, the doctor will insert a tool to cut the myoma through another incision hole. This process may take several weeks to recover from.
Abdominal myomectomy
Abdominal myomectomy or laparotomy is an operation by making an incision in the lower abdomen to remove large myomas.
Patients undergoing abdominal myomectomy usually require hospitalization of 1–3 days. Meanwhile, the recovery process for myoma surgery can take about 2-6 weeks.
3. Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy is a major surgical procedure because it removes the entire uterus. This operation is a last resort when the number of fibroids is very large or the size of the myoma is very large.
In addition, a hysterectomy can also be performed when other methods of fibroid surgery have failed to remove the myoma or when there is heavy bleeding in the uterus.
Although effective in removing fibroids, this one fibroid surgery has the risk of causing women to become unable to get pregnant again. In certain cases, women who undergo a hysterectomy will experience early menopause if their ovaries are also removed.
If you are diagnosed with fibroids and are advised to undergo fibroid surgery, immediately consult a doctor to find out more about the benefits, risks, preparation, stages, and complications of the surgery to be performed.