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Surgical Treatment of Fibroids

  • Management of Uterine Fibroid (I Meinhold-Heerlein, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors of the female genital tract. Fibroids are associated with a variety of clinical problems, including bleeding disorders, bulk-related symptoms, and infertility. For women who wish to preserve their uterus, fibroids can be surgically removed by hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, or laparotomy. The only definitive solution, however, is hysterectomy. The choice of treatment must be made after carefully weighing alternative treatment methods, such as expectant management, medical treatment, and interventional radiology, and obtaining informed consent. The optimal treatment decision takes into account the interests and wishes of the patient as well as the practical feasibility in the clinical setup. Surgical skills and experience are an important factor, as surgical procedures on the uterus are not without risk, and can lead to severe complications. The decision to operate anticipates an improvement of the initial situation, and the appropriate surgical approach is of the utmost importance.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dawn Rüther for editing the manuscript.

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Ibrahim Alkatout declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kiel School of Gynecological Endoscopy, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Street 3, Building 24, 24105, Kiel, Germany

    Ibrahim Alkatout

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Correspondence to Ibrahim Alkatout.

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Alkatout, I. Surgical Treatment of Fibroids. Curr Obstet Gynecol Rep 3, 207–215 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-014-0090-y

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