Fibroid following a myomectomy.
Note the well demarked border and solid appearance.
Click the image for larger view.

Dr. Zeringue has extensive experience with myomectomy procedures and is frequently called in to the operating room by other surgeons for assistance with difficult cases. You will want someone with this level of experience when you are undergoing fertility surgery. It is imperative to protect the uterus and tubes during this operation.

Following surgery, the uterine tissue undergoes remodeling and healing. After this process the uterus can take on a normal appearance and function. Depending on the amount of normal muscle that is disrupted by the surgery or displaced by the fibroid, the physician may recommend that labor be avoided in favor of a cesarean section. As the muscle heals scar tissue can form. This scar is prone to rupture during labor. Not all myomectomies require subsequent cesarean section for delivery so be certain you understand your situation after the surgery.

The majority of myomectomies can be performed in our outpatient surgical center under the extended observation program. This allows patients to maintain nursing care overnight without actually being admitted to the hospital. The recovery period at home is often quite brief.

Uterine artery embolization is frequently discussed with patients by interventional radiologists. Care must be taken with infertility patents. The long term effects on the uterine muscle and subsequent ability to carry a pregnancy to term is not fully understood. The embolization procedure damages the tissue around a fibroid as well as the fibroid itself. This may be a great option for patients desiring symptomatic relief from fibroids but this option is best avoided by women desiring to become pregnant in the future.