Management and Treatment of Uterine Fibroids

Although most uterine fibroids are considered to be harmless, a few are still known to be painful. In these cases, the proper management and treatment of uterine fibroids often become challenging, but necessary.

Uterine fibroids refer to growths that are found on the uterus. Dr Kwabena Essel, an obstetrician and gynaecologist in the East Rand, South Africa, believes that there are a few important points for the management and treatment of uterine fibroids.

Uterine fibroids occur from a stem cell in the smooth muscular tissue of the uterus, called the myometrium. The growth patterns of the uterine fibroids range from growing slowly or growing rapidly, or they just remain the same size. Some fibroids go through growth sprouts whilst some may shrink on their own. Uterine fibroids that are present during pregnancy shrink or disappear after giving birth, as the uterus goes back to its normal size.

Dr Essel will develop a treatment plan according to your age, the size of the uterine fibroid and your overall health. You may also receive a combination of treatments such as medication and surgical procedures.

The type of medication you may receive include:

• Androgens
  These are commonly called 'male hormones' and are able to alleviate the symptoms of uterine fibroids.
• Oral Contraceptives
  These could help in the control of bleeding associated with fibroids. But, this will not reduce the size of the uterine fibroids.
• Gn-RH Agonists
  These would act at the same sites that are acted upon by Gn-RH.

There are a number of surgical procedure that can be used to remove uterine fibroids, from options such as destroying the uterine fibroids without doing it through surgery, to removing the uterine fibroids using surgery and incisions.

The different surgical procedures include:

• Hysterectomy
  This is the procedure done for removing the uterus through surgery. This can be trans-abdominal, transvaginal and laparoscopic. This is considered as the definitive treatment for females who don't wish to maintain their fertility.
• Myolysis
  This is the in-situ demolition of uterine fibroid tumours by using heat, laser or cryotherapy. The advantage of this procedure includes the ease and speed of the treatment
• Uterine Artery Embolization
  This is an interventional radiologic treatment for uterine fibroids. This is performed to occlude the uterine arteries.

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