Director, Minimally Invasive & Robotic Gynecologic Surgery
Removal of Myomas and Fibroids from Uterus
A myomectomy is a surgical procedure to remove myomas or fibroids from the uterus. Myomas or fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow in and around the wall of the uterus. Uterine fibroids may grow as a single tumor or in clusters. They often increase in size and frequency with age, but then revert in size after menopause.
Uterine fibroids are very common and occur in roughly 30% of all women over the age of 35 and are the leading reason for hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) in the United States. Fortunately, they are also usually treatable. African Americans and overweight people are more prone to developing these tumors.
While not all women with fibroids experience symptoms, some women may experience back pain, heavy bleeding, pain during intercourse, painful periods, pelvic pain and pressure, and infertility. Depending on the location of these fibroids some can put pressure on the bladder and can cause frequent urination and awakening at night.
Medication can be used in some cases to decrease the size of the fibroid, but often surgery is required. There are patients who opt to undergo a hysterectomy (An estimated 600,000 hysterectomies are performed in the United States annually, and at least one third are for fibroids) to remove their fibroid tumors; however this prevents them from bearing children, a myomectomy provides a preferred alternative.
Myomectomy Surgical Procedure
A myometomy preserves the uterus and is often performed through a large abdominal incision. After removing each fibroid, the surgeon carefully repairs the uterus, to minimize potential bleeding, infection and scarring. Proper repair of the uterus is critical to reducing the risk of uterine rupture during pregnancy.
A More Precise, Minimally Invasive, Robotic Procedure
If your doctor recommends surgical treatment, you may be a candidate for a new, less invasive surgical procedure called da Vinci Myomectomy. This procedure uses a state-of-the-art surgical robotic system designed to help your surgeon perform a more precise, minimally invasive procedure. For most women, the robotic myomectomy offers numerous potential benefits
over traditional surgical approaches, including:
Shorter hospital stay
Less risk of wound infection
Less blood loss and need for blood transfusions
Faster recovery and quicker return to normal activities
As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery
is patient and procedure specific.