Condition / Fibroids
i've got...
- Adenomyosis
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Candidiasis (thrush)
- Cervical cancer
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB)
- Endocrine problems
- Endometrial cancer
- Endometrial polyps
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Functional incontinence
- Menopause
- Normal for you (dysmenorrhoea)
- Ovarian cancer
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic infection
- Perimenopausal bleeding
- Period problems
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Precancerous cells in cervix
- Pregnancy
- Stress incontinence
- Subfertility
- Urge incontinence
- Uterine adhesion
- Uterovaginal prolapse
- Vulval cancer
which means...
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Fibroids
Fibroids are very common benign, non-cancerous growths (tumour) of the muscle and fibre of the womb (uterus). They may cause no difficulty, but can cause problems with pain, bleeding and fertility. The location of the fibroid is more important than the size of the fibroid. For instance a 5cm fibroid growing out of the top of the uterus (the fundus) is much less likely to cause problems with bleeding or fertility when compared to a 2cm fibroid growing in the middle (subendometrial or submucous) of the womb.
Ultrasound & fibroids
An ultrasound scan uses echoes from a transducer (probe) to create an ultrasound picture. By using many echo pulses many times a second and processing the information through a powerful computer we can produce a real time image of internal organs. With ultrasound the nearer you are to the object you want to examine, the better the quality of the picture that can be obtained. By using a transvaginal probe we can visualise the uterus and ovaries in great detail.
Above: Ultrasound image of a normal uterus, with pointers to myometrium and endometrium. This allows us to diagnose problems in early pregnancy, including the investigation of threatened miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
Alternately sub serous fibroids (on the outside surface of the womb) can be removed laparoscopically (Laparoscopy) or if multiple and large, by open myomectomy, or even hysterectomy (hysterectomy), if a woman's family is complete and she does not want to have problems with new fibroids in the future.
Above: Ultrasound image of a fibroid uterus.
Getting help
If you wish to make an appointment to seek further advice and or treatment, please contact Dr Harrington's secretary.
how its treated...
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Hysterectomy
A total hysterectomy involves removal of the uterus and the cervix. The vagina is closed over at the top and remains the normal length. In some cases the ovaries are also removed at the time of the hysterectomy (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy).
More information » -
Hysteroscopy
A hysteroscopy is where a small, fibre-optic 'telescope' is used to see the internal organs. The small fibreoptic telecope passes through the cervix, so your abdomen (tummy) does not have to be opened.
More information » -
Laparoscopy
A laparoscopy is where a small, fibre-optic 'telescope' is used to see the internal organs. After filling the abdomen with gas (carbon dioxide), a telescope is passed through the belly button (umbilicus), so the contents of the pelvis can be visualised.
More information » - Medical (fibroids)
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Myomectomy
Where fibroids (benign, non cancerous tumours of the muscle and fibre of the womb) are removed, but the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries and vagina all remain.
More information » - Uterine artery embolisation (UAE)