Ovarian fibroids: symptoms, forms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis

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Fibrous formations can appear in any internal organ, but most often they choose organs of the female reproductive system like the uterus or ovaries.

Ovarian fibroid, like fibroids in other organs, usually develops asymptomatically, however, when significant dimensions are reached, the characteristic symptomatology of the pathological process appears.

Concept and Statistics

Fibrous formations in gynecology account for about 10% of the total number of benign tumors.

Women of premenopausal and menopausal age( 40-60 years old) are most susceptible to such neoplasms. Ovary fibroids are tumors that do not have hormonal activity.

On the cut, the fibrous formation is whitish gray or white, the tumor is poor in the vasculature.

If the fibroma was formed quite a long time, then in its middle there are necrotic areas with ischemia, hemorrhages, degenerative lesions. From the morphological point of view, the tumor is formed from connective tissue cells.

Forms of

Specialists distinguish several fibrous varieties:

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  1. Diffuse fibroma - affects the entire ovary;
  2. The restricted form of the tumor is a capsule with contents that fences it from the rest of the ovary tissue.

Fibrous formations often swell and have cystic cavities with liquid contents inside, then they are called cystadenofibromas.

Usually fibrous formations grow slowly, however, under the influence of dystrophic changes, they begin to grow very quickly. Often similar tumors are accompanied by cystic processes in the ovarian tissues, which are formed for similar reasons.

Insignificant sizes of fibrous formations are usually not reflected in ovarian function, and do not interfere with conception, pregnancy and successful delivery.

Causes of development of

As in the case of uterine fibroids, the ovarian tumor has an undefined aetiology, however, the risk of pathology increases in the presence of an unfavorable health condition of the patient, contributing to the development of a variety of diseases( premorbid background).

This includes pathology of the endocrine system, including violations of reproductive and menstrual functions, pathologically low immune status, inflammatory processes in the ovaries or appendages( adnexitis, oophoritis, etc.).

In general, among the possible causes of fibroids in the ovaries can be identified:

  • Reduced immune status;
  • Pathological processes in the genitourinary system and genital organs;
  • Inflammation of appendages or ovaries of chronic origin;
  • The presence of endocrine pathologies;
  • Genetic predisposition;
  • Age features;
  • Menstrual malfunctions, etc.

Often ovarian fibroma is accompanied by pathologies like ovarian cyst or myomatous processes in the uterus. Therefore, many experts believe that these diseases have common etiological factors.

Symptoms of ovarian fibroid

Ovarian fibroids usually develop secretly. At a size of less than 3 cm, ovarian functions are usually not violated, so there is no symptomatology.

Similar conditions are manifested:

  1. General weakening of the organism;
  2. Tachycardic manifestations;
  3. Bloating of the abdominal region;
  4. Tenderness;
  5. Excessive fatigue;
  6. Shortness of breath.

If the tumor secretes the transudate into the retroperitoneal space, then ascites arises. In exceptional clinical situations, ovarian fibroids are accompanied by cachexia( extremely severe malnutrition) or polyserositis( inflammatory lesions of serous membranes), but this pattern is usually observed when the tumor is malignant.

Usually menstrual changes and cycle disorders with ovarian fibrosis are absent. If the pathology is combined with other genital diseases, then the clinical picture is a complex of their signs.

Diagnosis of

Fibrotic ovarian formations are usually detected with occasional physical examinations at a gynecologist, since the tumor has been developing latent for a long time.

After a gynecological examination, the patient is referred for laboratory tests, instrumental procedures such as ultrasound diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography of low-dose organs, etc.

If necessary, histological examination of the biomaterial obtained from the tumor by laparoscopic diagnostics is performed additionally.

Treatment of ovarian fibroid

Treatment of fibroids in the ovary is carried out using operational methods. Since such neoplasms can not resolve, conservative therapy is meaningless.

In accordance with the size of fibroids, the presence of complications, age and organic characteristics of the patient is selected type of surgery.

To get rid of small formations, usually used laparoscopic operation, when the fibroids are removed, and the ovary is fully preserved, as is its functionality.

If the fibroid has reached a large size, then it is removed along with the ovary. If the patient's age has approached the pre-menopausal period, it is recommended to remove the appendages.

If the fibroma is bilateral, that is, the tumor process affects both ovaries, then necessarily leave part of the one that is less affected by the formation.

Prognosis and prevention of

In general, the prognosis of ovarian fibroids is positive, the probability of malignancy is minimal - only 1%.Only pregnancy will have to be postponed until the cure and completion of postoperative rehabilitation are complete.

The video shows an operation to remove ovarian fibroids by laparoscopic method:

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