2-kg fibroid successfully removed with the help of surgery

Bengaluru: A 24- year- old woman who was soon to be a bride was feeling uneasy for the last six months. She used to be tired often with bouts of breathlessness if she did any work. Worse, her tummy felt bloated and heavy. However, she had been ignoring her health as her mind was occupied with marriage preparation which was due in a month.

Her periods had been heavy and prolonged. She had been postponing meeting a doctor. As she stepped out to do some shopping, she suddenly felt very giddy, had a black out and fainted.

Her relatives rushed her to the hospital and she was stabilised. When the doctors did a blood check-up, they found out that she was severely anaemic. Her haemoglobin was 3, when normally it should have been around 11.

She was given multiple blood transfusions to increase her Hb count. Doctors wondered how she carried on with her daily routine with such a low Hb. When further evaluated she was detected to have a large fibroid (almost 8-months pregnant uterus size on an average).

Her uterus was of the size of a watermelon due to the fibroids. She was offered open surgery to remove fibroids as they were very large in size.

The Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Laparoscopic surgeon at Rainbow Hospital, Hebbal, Dr. Shwetha S Kamath said, "The fibroid could be removed laparoscopically through small incision.

A key hole surgery would ensure that her recovery was faster, less blood loss, less hospital stay, less chance of infection or hernia and more cosmetic.

The procedure went smoothly and she was discharged in two days. Her recovery was fast and it surprised her and her relatives alike, considering the fibroid weighed 2 kg. She was able to get married on the pre-fixed date with all vigour, happiness and was stress free."

Fibroids are common non-cancerous tumours in the uterus. In most they don't cause any problem, in some it can cause heavy periods, painful periods, infertility recurrent miscarriages, anemia or pressure effect on surrounding organs due to the large size. These symptoms shouldn't be ignored. Make an appointment with your gynaec and ensure everything is alright.

Over 1000 major laparoscopic surgeries have been performed at Rainbow Children's Hospital, Hebbal. It has been a referral centre for complicated gynecological laparoscopic procedures. It has state-of-art operation theatre with advanced technologies, instruments and surgical ICU.