Can Fibroids Regrow After Surgery?

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often develop in women between the ages of 35 and 54, although women under 35 can still develop fibroids. They’re very common, with estimates placing this issue as something that affects 75% of women throughout their lifetime. For those who experience symptoms from their fibroids, surgery is available to remove the fibroids and relieve their unpleasant symptoms.

Many people who receive surgery to remove their uterine fibroids may be concerned about the possibility of them regrowing. While unlikely, it is possible for uterine fibroids to regrow after surgery, but this risk is much lower with certain surgical procedures and alternative treatment methods, such as uterine fibroid embolization (UFE).

Fibroid Regrowth Risk After Surgery.

Surgery offers a way to remove fibroids, with surgical options including hysterectomy (removing all or part of the uterus) or myomectomy (removing only the symptom-causing fibroids). Myomectomy is often preferred to hysterectomy because it does not remove the entire uterus, resulting in a quicker recovery, although it can still last 2-6 weeks.

A downside to myomectomies, though, is that it is possible for fibroids to regrow, potentially requiring additional surgeries in the future. One study on myomectomy patients found that 20% of the participants saw fibroid regrowth in the first few years after their initial procedure, and this risk of regrowth is higher the younger you are when you have the surgical procedure or the more fibroids you have.

As for hysterectomy, it is essentially unheard of for fibroid regrowth to occur since the uterus is no longer present, and it is also rare for a fibroid to grow near where the uterus was. These results are seen in cases of both partial and complete hysterectomies.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization: Balancing the Extremes

Compared to the surgical treatment options, UFE offers a solution combining the benefits seen in both surgical options.

Instead of removing the uterine fibroids, UFE eliminates their blood supply, naturally causing them to shrink and die. This means that, while surgery removes the fibroid, UFE instead treats the fibroid at its source.

UFE is a minimally invasive procedure that requires no hospital stay and no incision, leading to a quicker recovery period that typically lasts only a week. There is also no uterus removal and no requirement for hormone therapies, which those who receive a hysterectomy often need. Compared to both surgical options, the recovery for UFE is much easier.

Additionally, while possible, it is rare for a woman to experience fibroid regrowth after the UFE procedure. This offers similar results as a hysterectomy without having to undergo major surgery and loss of the uterus.

Try UFE for Uterine Fibroids Today

For those with uterine fibroids looking to avoid complicated surgery, long recoveries, and the potential for uterine regrowth, UFE is an ideal solution. Treating the fibroids at the source, UFE offers a minimally invasive treatment with no incision, no scarring, and no hospital stay.

Relieve your fibroid symptoms and take back control of your life with UFE, offered by MTVIR.

References

InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Uterine fibroids: Surgery. 2014 Oct 22 [Updated 2017 Nov 16]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279531/