UTERINE MYOMAS

Uterine myoma is a benign uterine tumor. The cause for myoma is still unknown. The only thing we are sure of is that it is related to the hormones, and that estrogen helps its growth.

During estrogen therapy and pregnancy, the myoma grows and it shrinks down during the menopause. It often develops in obese patients, patients with hypertension or mastopathy. Myoma often occurs alongside endometriosis, endometrium hypoplasia and polycystic ovaries. Myomas grow to different sizes – from the size of a rice grain to the size of a child’s head! There are 3 basic types of myoma: subserous – on the uterine surface, intramural- in the uterine wall and submucosal- in the uterine mucus. There can be cervical myoma – located around the cervix. Myomas are usually pale pink. The symptoms for myoma presence are: abnormal menstrual bleeding, hypermenorrhea, metrorrhagia, menometrorrhagia. The type and volume of bleeding mostly depends of the position of the myomas. Submucous myomas cause the most severe hemorrhage. More often than not, there is no pain except during ovulation and cycle. Constant pain occurs if the myoma is twisted and becomes necrotic. In this case, the patient would have high fever and a higher leukocyte blood count. Bigger sized myomas can cause compression to the neighboring organs, such as the bladder, urethra or rectum and they could cause infertility or miscarriage (if conception is possible).

Myomas are usually diagnosed during an ultrasound check-up. Treatment depends on the patient’s age, the location of the myoma, symptomatology, possible complications estimation and the experience and know-how of the specialist in charge. If the patient doesn’t have any symptoms or discomfort, we would recommend frequent observation, but with a certain myoma diagnosis, we pay attention to the location and the size of the myoma. Control check-ups should be scheduled every 6 months. Conservative treatment looks to anemia and bleeding, but if there is hemorrhage and extended bleeding periods, we would treat it surgically.  Myoma are benign tumors, extremely rarely would they turn into malign sarcoma.