Four types of uterine fibroids

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors of the female reproductive organs. They can occur in the myometrium, submucosal or subserosa of the uterus, and can be of varying sizes, single or multiple. Most patients have no obvious symptoms and are only occasionally discovered during pelvic examinations. If symptoms occur, they are closely related to the location of the fibroids, the growth rate, and whether the fibroids have degenerated. Depending on the different parts of the uterus where the fibroids are located, they can be divided into the following categories:

1. Intramural fibroids

Fibroids are located within the muscle wall and are surrounded by muscle layers. This type of fibroid is the most common when the disease first occurs, so it accounts for about 60% to 70%.

2. Subserosal fibroids

Intramural fibroids develop toward the serosa and protrude from the surface of the uterus, directly contacting the serosa, accounting for about 20%. If they protrude between the two leaves of the broad ligament, they are intra-broad ligament fibroids.

3. Submucosal fibroids

Intramural fibroids grow into the uterine cavity, protrude from the uterine cavity, and come into direct contact with the mucosa, accounting for about 10%-15%. This tumor can gradually enlarge and deform the uterine cavity, and often has a pedicle connected to the uterus. If the pedicle is long, it can block the cervical opening or prolapse into the vagina.

4. Cervical fibroids

Less commonly, fibroids grow in the cervix of the uterus. Because of their low growth location, they can become lodged in the pelvic cavity, causing compression symptoms, making surgical removal difficult and easily damaging the ureter and bladder.

Uterine fibroids are often multiple, and the above different types of fibroids can occur simultaneously in the same uterus, which is called multiple uterine fibroids.