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Treatment of the uterine fibroid tumors is not necessary however since symptoms can be severe on some women, they prefer to have their fibroids treated. The main treatment for uterine fibroid tumors is uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). This is a modestly invasive procedure wherein a small tube is inserted into an artery towards the uterine artery. This allows the interventional radiologist to bring in small plastic beads into the artery supplying blood to the uterine fibroid tumors. In this way, blood flow to the uterine fibroid tumor is blocked causing it to shrink; hence, symptoms are relieved.
Surgical Treatments
- Myomectomy: removal of the fibroid or fibroids that are causing symptoms. This can be done through an incision in the abdomen (abdominal myomectomy), or through the vagina, without an incision (hysteroscopic myomectomy).
- Hysterectomy: partial or complete removal of the uterus. This can be done through an incision in the abdomen (abdominal hysterectomy), through the vagina (vaginal hysterectomy), or through instruments placed through several small incisions in the abdomen (laparoscopic hysterectomy)
- Endometrial Ablation: This treatment uses electrical energy or heat energy to destroy the lining of the uterus. This reduces the amount of bleeding a woman has with her periods.
Medical Treatments:
Medicines are used to decrease the size of fibroids in preparation for surgery, or to decrease the symptoms caused by fibroids.
- GnRH agonists such as luprolide (Lupron); these are drugs that stop the body from making the hormones that cause women to have their periods. As a result, fibroids shrink and symptoms decrease. GnRH agonists only shrink fibroids to 30-50% of their original size, and fibroids will regrow when the medicine is discontinued. For this reason, they are used only to help decrease bleeding as a woman prepares for surgery.
- Birth control pills can also decrease bleeding caused by fibroids. If a woman does not have risk factors that prevent her from taking hormones, this may be a good option for treating the symptoms caused by fibroids.
- NSAIDS are over-the-counter medicines that can decrease the amount of menstrual bleeding, as well as treat minor to moderate pain caused by fibroids.
