An Overview of Uterine Fibroids
Many women living in the communities of Plano, Frisco and Dallas, Texas experience non-cancerous tumors in the uterus known as uterine fibroids. A lot of women wonder just exactly what uterine fibroids are. They’re usually non-cancerous tumors that develop within the uterus, and 15-20 percent of women in their reproductive years and 30-40 percent of women older than 30 may suffer from the abnormal tumors. When uterus fibroids cause unwanted and troublesome symptoms, the OBGYNs at Women’s Specialists of Plano are available with a number of treatment options.
What Women Should Know About Uterus Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are the most prevalent pelvic tumor, but the cause of uterine fibroid tumors is unknown. Not all women with fibroids experience symptoms; however some women ache and have significant menstrual bleeding. In addition, uterus fibroids can place pressure on the bladder, triggering frequent urination.
Fibroids may grow as a single growth or in groups. Fibroids vary in size from very small to eight inches in diameter. The growth of a uterus fibroid typically depends on the hormone estrogen. Once a woman develops a fibroid, the fibroid usually continues to grow throughout her menstruation years.
Women who do not experience symptoms associated with their uterine fibroids may not require treatment. Fibroids may even shrink after menopause, but if heavy bleeding or pain occurs, a hysterectomy may be required. Uterine fibroids are the main reason hysterectomies are performed.
What is a Hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy involves surgically removing the uterus, and sometimes the cervix and/or ovaries and fallopian tubes are also removed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after cesarean section, hysterectomy is the second most frequently performed major surgical procedure for women of reproductive age in the United States. Approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the U.S., and an estimated 20 million U.S. women have had a hysterectomy.
Although some women are wary of having surgery to relieve symptoms because of the down time they may experience, new technology is available that enables the removal of uterine fibroids and hysterectomies to be performed less invasively, leading to shorter hospital stays. For hysterectomies that may be difficult to perform as a vaginal procedure and would otherwise require an abdominal hysterectomy, the da Vinci® Surgical System offers an alternative.
This new robotic technology offers numerous potential benefits over traditional surgery, including less pain and scarring, less risk of infection, and faster recovery. It also may decrease the risk of blood loss that can occur during a hysterectomy. This new technology is available to Collin County and other area residents at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, located near President George Bush Turnpike and Preston Road.
To learn more about uterine fibroid symptoms, or to discuss uterus fibroid treatment options with a physician, please contact the Plano, Frisco and Dallas, Texas area office of Women’s Specialists of Plano.