What kind of surgery is usually performed for uterine fibroids? How big of a uterine fibroid is usually required for surgery?

What kind of surgery is usually performed for uterine fibroids? How big of a uterine fibroid is usually required for surgery?

Uterine fibroids are a common benign tumor in women, which grow from the smooth muscle tissue of the endometrium. After discovering that they have uterine fibroids, many patients will be concerned about one question, that is, how big a uterine fibroid should be before surgery is required.

We need to make it clear that not all cases of uterine fibroids require surgical treatment. For some patients, even if the uterine fibroids have reached a certain size, surgery is not required immediately.

So, under what circumstances is surgery necessary? According to the definition of the World Health Organization, surgical treatment of uterine fibroids is recommended in the following circumstances:

1. Uterine fibroids cause obvious symptoms: When uterine fibroids cause obvious pain, compression, bleeding and other symptoms, such as vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, etc., these symptoms will affect the patient's quality of life and surgical treatment needs to be considered.

2. Uterine fibroids cause infertility: If the location, size and other factors of uterine fibroids affect the patient's fertility, such as blocking the fallopian tubes, affecting fertilization or implantation, etc., surgical treatment should be considered to restore normal reproductive function.

3. Uterine fibroids increase in size over a long period of time or become extremely large: If uterine fibroids increase in size over a long period of time or become extremely large and reach a certain size, they will have a serious impact on the patient's life and health, such as compressing the bladder and intestines. At this time, surgical treatment is required to alleviate symptoms and risks.

It should be noted that there are many ways to surgically treat uterine fibroids. The doctor will choose the surgical method suitable for the patient based on factors such as the location and size of the fibroids, the patient's age, and fertility needs.

Common surgical methods include myomectomy, hysterectomy, etc. Among them, myomectomy is usually suitable for cases with small fibroids. Through minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy, uterine fibroids can be accurately removed to preserve the patient's uterine function.

In some cases where the uterine fibroids are too large or there are too many of them, a hysterectomy may be required. A hysterectomy is a more radical surgical procedure in which the uterus is completely removed through an open or laparoscopic procedure.

It should be emphasized that uterine fibroids do not necessarily require surgical treatment. Some small, asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic uterine fibroids can be managed through non-surgical methods such as observation and control of hormone levels. Therefore, after patients find that they have uterine fibroids, they must seek medical attention in time and receive evaluation and advice from professional doctors to determine whether surgical treatment is needed.

Surgical treatment of uterine fibroids is not a one-size-fits-all approach. The previous view that surgery is only needed when the fibroids reach a certain size is no longer applicable. Patients need to choose the appropriate treatment method according to their own situation and under the guidance of a professional doctor, and follow the doctor's advice for treatment. Although surgery may bring certain risks and discomfort, reasonable surgical treatment can effectively improve symptoms and improve quality of life.