27/09/2019
What are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids have become an increasingly popular medical condition in the last decade or so. Most women complain of suffering from these benign tumours of the uterus at some point in their lifetime.
Uterine Fibroids may affect women of any age group. Although uterine fibroids remain undiagnosed in a large number of women, those who have prominent symptoms often complain of cramps, heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, extreme pelvic pressure, and swelling in the abdomen area.
In some rare cases, uterine fibroids may grow too large and cause undesired pressure on the neighbouring organs. These may become severely difficult to deal with and can even create problems in conceiving a baby and/or completing the pregnancy to term.
What is Hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is the second most widely performed surgical procedure (after caesarean section) on women across the World! Hysterectomy is a major surgery that involves removal of the uterus (womb). It may sometimes also include the removal of the cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and other parts of the female reproductive system.
Hysterectomy may have to be performed on women who complain of endometriosis, uterine prolapse, cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries, abnormal va**nal bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, thickening of the uterus or the most common health issue of women i.e. uterine fibroids.
Hysterectomy procedures are of two major types:
1. Supra-cervical Hysterectomy – This is a partial hysterectomy where instead of the uterus, only a portion of the uterus is removed. This surgery usually removes the top of the uterus and leaves the cervix attached to the va**na and the surrounding ligaments.
As compared to total hysterectomy, this procedure is less painful and has less severe post-surgery complications. A partial hysterectomy is rarely performed these days.
2. Total Hysterectomy – This surgery removes the entire uterus along with the cervix. In some cases, the ovaries and fallopian tubes may also be removed.
For small tumours, the doctors may recommend hysterectomy through the va**na as this procedure takes less time and does not leave an external scar. Women who undergo a va**nal hysterectomy are also known to recover faster as it is a relatively smaller surgical procedure.
The only disadvantage of va**nal hysterectomy is that as the doctor performs the surgery through the va**na, he/she may not be able to see the abdominal cavity and there are high chances of accidentally injuring the re**um or the bladder.
For large tumours, abdominal surgery is the most viable option. This procedure is suitable for tumours of any size. The patient may have to spend up to 5 days in the hospital. It does leave a scar mark and has a recovery time of four to size weeks.
Uterine Fibroids and Hysterectomy – The Good
1. Total hysterectomy is the permanent cure of uterine fibroids. As the uterus itself is removed in totality, there is no chance of recurrence of uterine fibroids.
2. It also completely eliminates the risk of uterine or cervical cancer.
3. Hysterectomy offers 100% relief from all symptoms of uterine fibroids such as swelling, heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pressure, etc
4. As compared to myomectomy and other surgical procedures, hysterectomy is much easier to perform.
Uterine Fibroids and Hysterectomy – The Bad
1. As hysterectomy is a guaranteed treatment method to most medical issues related to the uterus or other female reproductive organs, the doctors usually recommend it without discussing the alternative treatment procedures with the patient.
2. Hysterectomy is necessary only for a few critical issues such as cancer of the uterus or cervix, or when a women’s life is at risk due to pregnancy complications or emergency bleeding. In most cases, women undergo hysterectomy without it being needed to cure the underlying health issues.
3. Studies have revealed that as many as 30% hysterectomy procedures performed in a year are actually uncalled for. Which means that 1 in every 3 hysterectomy procedures performed is unnecessary.
4. Most doctors recommend hysterectomy even when it is not needed because it is a neat and clean procedure and offers a permanent cure as patients do not complain of recurrence of the medical condition (uterine fibroids, cancer of the uterus, heavy bleeding, etc)
Uterine Fibroids and Hysterectomy – The Ugly
1. The major disadvantage of the hysterectomy is that this procedure erases all hopes of having a child as pregnancy cannot occur without a uterus. Women also cease to have their monthly cycles after hysterectomy.
2. In some cases, the ovaries are also removed along with the uterus in the hysterectomy procedure. This can lead to issues like surgical menopause which has extreme symptoms as compared to natural menopause.
3. Hysterectomy procedure that involves removal of the ovaries is quite dangerous as ovaries not only produce eggs but are also responsible for producing the desired hormones throughout the lifetime of a woman, even after menopause.
4. Death is the main complication associated with hysterectomy surgical procedure.
5. Hysterectomy may also have psychological effects on the woman as the removal of the uterus is still perceived as a loss of femininity. For a few women, this may even lead to depression.
As more and more women are reported to be suffering from uterine fibroids, hysterectomy is being performed at an alarming rate. You must make an informed decision for your medical condition before opting for hysterectomy.
Unless a women’s life is at risk, hysterectomy should not be the preferred treatment option for any ailment. You must consider all other treatment options first.
For women complaining of uterine fibroids, there are alternatives to hysterectomy. The latest and the most effective treatment for uterine fibroids is Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). It is a non-surgical and painless treatment where a small incision is made on the skin near to insert a thin catheter.
Through this catheter, small substances are transferred to the arteries that are feeding the uterine fibroids. This helps cut off the oxygen and nutrient supply to the tumours. In some time, the fibroids begin to shrink and eventually die.
It is a quick yet effective treatment that is most usually performed as an outpatient procedure. The patient does not require general anaesthesia and can go back home on the same day. It is a safe process and does not lead to any severe medical complications.
Almost all types of uterine fibroids can be treated with UFE treatment. It offers instant relief from all symptoms and there is only a minimal chance of recurrence of uterine fibroids.
Centre for UFE specializes in the painless and minimally invasive Uterine Fibroid Embolization treatment for uterine fibroids. We already have a large array of happy and satisfied patients who got rid of their uterine fibroids in a single sitting. We have the most advanced infrastructure and an experienced team of distinguished doctors who excel in the painless cure of uterine fibroids.
Dr. Rajah V Koppala, the highly qualified surgeon and supremely trained interventional radiologist leads all UFE procedures at Centre for UFE. He completed his education from international educational institutes and has 24+ years of medical experience in successfully treating even the most critical cases of UFE.
We ensure a comfortable as well as convenient experience for all patients. With round-the-clock Mediclaim assistance, we ensure you do not face any difficulties in getting approvals from your insurance provider. We also have complete arrangements for outstation patients.
If you are beginning to notice some symptoms of uterine fibroids or have already been diagnosed with uterine fibroids but are looking for effective and pocket-friendly medical treatment, do not hesitate in scheduling an appointment with the distinguished Dr. Rajah V Koppala at Centre for UFE. Book now!
http://centreforufe.com/uterine-fibroids-and-hysterectomy-the-good-bad-and-ugly/
