When necessity calls for treating uterine fibroids
Most myomas are asymptomatic; you can manage them with watchful waiting. When quality of life suffers, however, a range of therapies is available.
IN THIS ARTICLE
The cell saver suctions blood from the operative field and mixes it with heparinized saline. If blood reinfusion is necessary, the blood is washed with saline, filtered, centrifuged to a hematocrit of approximately 50%, and given back to the patient via an IV line. The need for preoperative autologous blood donation or heterologous blood transfusion can therefore often be avoided, eliminating the risk of infection and transfusion reaction.24
Seventy of 91 women who underwent myomectomy for uterine size of 16 to 36 weeks had cell-saver blood reinfused (mean volume, 355 mL); only seven women required heterologous transfusion.20
Laparoscopic myomectomy
Instrumentation makes laparoscopic myomectomy feasible, although the application of this approach is limited by the size and number of fibroids that can be reasonably removed and by the difficulty of laparoscopic suturing. However, a study of 131 women randomized to abdominal and laparoscopic myomectomy for nonpedunculated large myomas (mean diameter, 7 cm) found a higher postoperative hemoglobin level, lower incidence of postoperative fever, and shorter hospital stays with laparoscopic myomectomy.25
A case series of 144 women (largest fibroid, 18 cm [mean, 7.8 cm]) reported that only two (1.4%) women required conversion to laparotomy.26
Myomas do not recur
Once individual myomas are removed, they do not recur, although new myomas may appear. Most women require no additional treatment. If the first myomectomy is performed for one fibroid, 11% of women require subsequent surgery (mean follow-up, 7.6 years). If multiple fibroids are removed initially, 26% require subsequent surgery.27
The appearance of a new myoma may reflect the persistence of fibroids not removed initially—as ultrasonography has demonstrated in 29% of women after myomectomy.28
CASE 2 RESOLVED
A.M. underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed two 7-cm intramural fibroids and four other intramural fibroids between 2 cm and 4 cm in size. She chose abdominal myomectomy and is now attempting pregnancy.
CASE 3 Patient asks for hysterectomy
S.L. is a 44-year-old G2P2 who complains of missing a few days of work every month because of heavy menstrual bleeding and fatigue. Her hemoglobin level is now 8.2 g/dL. She underwent myomectomy about 10 years ago, successfully followed by two pregnancies, but her uterus is now about 12-weeks size. She is not interested in getting pregnant again and wants to be able to work without bleeding through her clothes. She has explored other options, but has decided to have a hysterectomy. She asks whether laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy is appropriate for her situation. What do you advise?
Treating preoperative anemia
The first step for this patient is to treat her anemia.
Erythropoietin alfa and epoetin have been shown to increase preoperative hemoglobin concentrations in cardiac, orthopedic, and neurologic surgery. They should be considered more often, when appropriate, before gynecologic surgery.29 A randomized study showed that approximately 15,000 U of epoetin a week for 3 weeks before surgery raised the hemoglobin concentration by 1.6 g/dL and significantly reduced the transfusion rate when compared with controls.30 No side effects were reported.
GnRH agonists have been shown to reduce uterine volume, fibroid volume, and bleeding; these benefits may be limited, however, by side effects and risks. Reduction in uterine size occurs mostly within the first 3 months of treatment; after 6 months, fibroid volume is reduced by 30% and total uterine volume by 35%.31,32 Heavy bleeding responds well to GnRH agonists; in one study, 37 of 38 women had resolution by 6 months.
Side effects generally do not deter treatment
Side effects are common with GnRH agonists: 78% experience hot flushes; 32%, vaginal dryness; and 55%, transient headache. Arthralgia, myalgia, insomnia, emotional lability, and decreased libido are reported less often. However, only 8% of women terminate treatment because of side effects.33
Bone loss is significant after 6 months of a GnRH agonist.34
A Cochrane review found that women who have myomas and who were treated preoperatively with 3 to 4 months of a GnRH agonist had significantly reduced uterine volume and uterine size; an improved preoperative hemoglobin level; and reduced operating times and hospital stay.35 Although operative blood loss was less for both abdominal hysterectomy and abdominal myomectomy patients, there was no significant difference in the transfusion rate.
Hysterectomy
Fibroids were the indication for hysterectomy in 40% of abdominal, 17% of vaginal, and 29% of laparoscopic hysterectomies, according to a review in the United States.17 Women with intractable symptoms who have not been helped by other therapies may benefit from hysterectomy. The Maine Women’s Health Study found that, following hysterectomy (35% of which were performed for myomas) for moderate or severe symptoms, 72% of women felt “much better,” 16% felt a “little better,” and 3% felt worse than they did before surgery.1
