Uterine fibroids - benign tumor

Very often women underestimate the need for regular check-ups at the gynecologist. And there are diseases that are in the early stages can be detected only in the course of routine inspection. Such diseases include uterine fibroids, which takes place at the beginning of a completely asymptomatic, and then can create many problems for women.

Uterine fibroids - a benign tumor that develops from the muscle tissue of the uterus. Tumor looks clear demarcation from surrounding tissues rounded dense knot diameter of 0, 5 and 25-30 cm. Inside fibroids is pink Pink: Symphony of tenderness   and homogeneous or fibrous structure. In large sites fibroids often have changes in the form of bleeding, tissue breakdown, etc. Under the microscope you can see that fibroids consists of randomly interwoven layers of muscle cells and connective tissue with blood and lymphatic vessels and nerve fibers.

Uterine fibroids occur in 25-30% of women aged 30-56 mainly in years, although in recent years there is evidence of decline in the age of women suffering from uterine cancer.

Causes of

The main causes of uterine fibroids - a violation of hormonal background of women, abortion, family history (close relatives suffered from the same disease), environmental pollution, which negatively affects a woman's body, inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive organs, intrauterine devices, obstructed labor, menstrual irregularities Violation of the menstrual cycle: types and causes   and so on. Various disorders in the body lead to the growth of one or more nodes often in the muscle layer of the uterus.

How is uterine fibroids

In the initial stages of fibroids generally does not manifest itself and is revealed only when viewed from a gynecologist, when he finds an increase of the uterus.

Developing, uterine fibroids is often accompanied by heavy and prolonged menstrual periods, having the character of bleeding, and severe pain. Such heavy bleeding can cause anemia.

If the fibroid is growing very rapidly, accompanied by bleeding and anemia (especially if the bleeding occur during menopause), it can be assumed in the degeneration of uterine cancer.

The progressive growth of uterine fibroids, anemia, and especially the appearance of bleeding during menopause are severe symptoms of a possible malignant transformation of the tumor.

Diagnostics

The first suspected uterine fibroids appear after inspection gynecologist who directs the woman on ultrasound. Ultrasound diagnosis of pelvic reveals even the smallest changes in the muscle layer of the uterus. Such changes do not require treatment for them simply to watch. Uterine fibroids can also be found by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatment

Treatment usually depends on the size and location of fibroids, and on the severity of the clinical symptoms.

Conservative treatment of uterine fibroids includes the use of hormones and drugs that regulate the activity of the whole organism. Conservative treatment of uterine fibroids is held to growth inhibition or regression of tumors, treatment of bleeding and anemia. In some cases, the conservative treatment reduces tumor size.

For large amounts of tumor removal operation is carried out, or only tumors (myomectomy), or the entire uterus (hysterectomy). Currently, these operations are often performed by special instruments through a small incision of the skin (laparoscopically).

There is also a low-impact way to treat uterine fibroids, uterine artery embolization (UAE), ie the cessation of blood flow through the branches of the uterine arteries that carry blood to the fibroids, with branches that supply the healthy part of the uterine muscles are not affected. Embolization is performed under local anesthesia. Through a small skin puncture in the upper thigh in the femoral artery is entered thin catheter, which under X-ray control is carried out directly in uterine artery. Through the catheter is inserted tiny particles embolization of the drug, which cover the blood vessels that feed the fibroids. Duration of operation usually does not exceed 20 minutes.

After surgery, embolization normalize menstrual bleeding decreases their scope and duration. The examination can be seen as a decrease fibroids (to the volume of units is reduced by more than 4 times, small fibroids disappear completely). Recurrence of the disease after embolization usually does not happen, the woman retains the ability to bear children.

Prevention

Prevention of uterine fibroids - a timely detection and treatment of inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive organs and menstrual disorders The menstrual cycle - that occurs in different phases? , Prevention of unwanted pregnancy (prevention of abortion).

For early detection of uterine woman should regularly visit the gynecologist as advanced cases of fibroids can cause serious complications such as anemia and cancer.

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