Myomectomy is a type of surgery used to remove uterine fibroids. We recommend this surgery if your fibroids are causing symptoms such as:
Who is a good candidate?
Myomectomy is an option for women with fibroids who wish to get pregnant in the future, or who want to keep their uterus for another reason. Unlike a hysterectomy, which takes out your entire uterus, myomectomy removes your fibroids but leaves your uterus in place. This allows you to try for children in the future.
You might need tests to make sure you’re healthy enough for surgery. These can include:
Laparoscopic myomectomy
While you’re under general anaesthesia, four small incisions of about 5 to 10mm long will be made in your lower abdomen. Your belly will be filled with carbon dioxide gas to help to see inside your abdomen.
We will then place a laparoscope into one of the incisions. A laparoscope is a thin, lighted tube with a camera on one end. Small instruments will be placed into the other incisions.
The fibroid is shelled out of the uterus and the uterus is sutured back through small keyholes.
We may cut your fibroids into small pieces to remove them. If they are too large, your surgeon may change to an abdominal myomectomy and make a larger incision in your abdomen.
Afterward, your surgeon will remove the instruments, release the gas, and close your incisions. Most women who have this procedure stay in the hospital for one night.
Hysteroscopic myomectomy
You will get a local anaesthetic or be placed under general anaesthesia during this procedure. We will insert a thin, lighted scope through your vagina and cervix into your uterus. We will place a liquid in your uterus to widen it to allow them to see your fibroids more clearly. The fibroid is removed peace meal with the help of reseptoscope without any cut on the skin. You should be able to go home the same day as your surgery.
What is recovery like ?
You will have some pain after your surgery. We will provide medication to treat your discomfort. You’ll also have spotting for a few days to weeks.
How long you’ll have to wait before returning to your normal activities depends on what type of procedure you have. Open surgery has the longest recovery time. Don’t lift anything heavy or exercise strenuously until your incisions have fully healed. Your doctor will let you know when you can return to these activities.
If you want to get pregnant, ask us when you can safely start trying. You might need to wait three to six months for your uterus to fully heal depending on which kind of surgery you’ve had. Most women get relief from symptoms like pelvic pain and heavy menstrual bleeding after their surgery.
Complications and risks?
Any surgery can have risks, and myomectomy is no different. Risks of this procedure are rare, but they can include:
Call us if you have any of these symptoms after your procedure:
What to expect
If you have uterine fibroids that are causing symptoms, myomectomy can be used to remove them and relieve your symptoms. The type of myomectomy procedure you have depends on the size of your fibroids and where they’re located.
Will pregnancy following a myomectomy be considered high-risk?
There are risks following this procedure, but they can be managed with close monitoring. You should notify us if you’ve had a myomectomy prior to becoming pregnant. This will be important in terms of when and how you deliver, which is generally recommended as caesarean section, to avoid having your uterus labour. Because your uterus has been operated on, there is some weakness in the uterine muscle. You should let us know if you have uterine pain or vaginal bleeding while pregnant, as this could be a sign of uterine rupture.