Endometriosis Symptoms & Treatments
Plano OBGYN
Endometriosis, a condition that occurs somewhat frequently in women
during their childbearing years, results in the uterine lining, or
endometrium, growing outside of the uterus. The endometrium will
thicken with menstruation, however , as the tissue is growing outside
of the uterus in the body, there is no place for the uterine lining to
escape when it breaks down, resulting in inflammation and scars around
the affected areas. The situation is further worsened as time
progresses, with each menstrual cycle adding more endometrium, which
breaks down and more blood collects in the body with no means of
escape. This growth of endometrium will increase the severity of the
symptoms of endometriosis, causing further discomfort.
Endometriosis treatment consists of a variety of methods including
hormone therapy and surgeries. Laparoscopic surgery is used to remove
uterine lining growing outside of the uterus and to enable the patient
to still possibly bear children. In more serious cases, endometriosis
treatment will require the uterus to be removed with a hysterectomy
procedure.
Cancer
In addition to the aforementioned conditions, hysterectomies are used
in response to several different types of cancer. Endometrial cancer,
also known as uterine cancer, affects the uterine lining, or
endometrium. Endometrial cancer occurs when the uterine lining begins
to thicken without leaving the uterus. Treatments include a
hysterectomy procedure to remove the uterus.
Cervical cancer, which occurs when cells in the cervix begin to
uncontrollably grow, is often treated surgically. This will require
removal of the pelvic lymph nodes during a hysterectomy procedure.
Finally, tumors growing on the ovaries can mean a diagnosis of ovarian
cancer, which can be treated surgically. In addition to the ovaries,
the uterus may have to be removed as well. After surgery, chemotherapy
is used to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are tumors that grow on the outside, the inside, or
in the wall of the uterus. While uterine fibroids occur quite
frequently in women, with 80% of women developing them, uterine
fibroids are most often benign, in fact less than 0.1% of uterine
fibroids prove to be cancerous, or less than one in 1,000.
While most women with uterine fibroids do not experience any symptoms,
those that do can be subjected to extremely uncomfortable symptoms.
Uterine fibroid symptoms include painful periods with excessive
bleeding, fullness in the abdomen, and lower back pains. Some women
with uterine fibroids experience problems with sexual function and
satisfaction. In addition, uterine fibroids can often cause
reproductive problems such as infertility, which is rather rare, as
well as other problems during pregnancy.
Once uterine fibroids are diagnosed, many women will not need
treatment as most do not experience any discomfort from the condition.
However, those women that do have discomfort from uterine fibroids do
have several options for treatment. These options include over-the-
counter medications to relieve pain, and birth control pills to
lighten periods. For some more serious cases, surgery is often
recommended. These surgeries include a myomectomy for women still
wanting to have children, or a hysterectomy for women either past
their child bearing years or who no longer want to have children.
Myomectomy
One of the biggest consequences of a hysterectomy procedure is that it
eliminates the possibility of a woman having children after undergoing
the procedure. The reason for this is that most if not all the
necessary structures for reproduction will be removed in the
hysterectomy procedure. Because of this, women who have a uterine
fibroid problem, but still might want to have children, should
consider a less limiting procedure known as a myomectomy.
A myomectomy procedure can also be performed using the Da Vinci
Surgical System. During a Da Vinci Robotic Surgery, a surgeon can
achieve a remarkable level of precision in a myomectomy, and even in
uterine reconstruction after the fibroids have been removed. This
precision is extremely important in preventing uterine rupture during
any possible future pregnancies.
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