How refusing fibroid surgery becomes havoc on women

Women who battled fibroids say fear of surgery and its possible complications scared them from seeking treatment early which made the condition take a toll on their health before receiving treatment.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, fibroids are benign (not cancer) growths that develop from the muscle tissue of the uterus.

If you are afraid of undergoing medical surgery, In Nigeria many people are specialized in removing fibroids in women through local herbs.

ACOG says the size, shape, and location of fibroids can vary greatly, adding, “They may be inside the uterus, on its outer surface or within its wall, or attached to it by a stem-like structure. A woman may have only one fibroid or many of varying sizes.

“Fibroids may have the following symptoms: changes in menstruation, heavy menstrual periods, menstrual pain, difficulty urinating or frequent urination, constipation, miscarriages, infertility, etc,” the ACOG said.

the pain, trauma and infertility caused by fibroids among women in their reproductive age, it is worthy of note that it is curable, even without surgery, experts have said.

Maternal health experts say HIFU is a bloodless or non-invasive surgery for the treatment of fibroids and adenomyosis.

the procedure involves using real-time ultrasound and high-intensity ultrasound waves to generate localised heat to specifically target individual fibroids and destroy the cells.

A fertility expert and Managing Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, says fibroids are among the most common malignant growths in women of reproductive age.

He pointed out that women might have fibroid before the age of 50, lamenting that it impacts the quality of their life.

The gynaecologist noted that fibroid could also be associated with infertility for a long time because of the fear factor associated with surgery.

Dr. Ajayi affirmed that HIFU is a safe method of removing fibroids without surgery and that removal of the growth improves the chances of conception.

“HIFU is about safe care. We are not saying that HIFU is the only way to treat fibroid but it is a method that is safe.

“If well trained, a single surgeon can do up to 200 fibroid removals in a year. There is no need for anaesthesia or admission because it is a day procedure.

“The process is so easy; all the patient does is lie down for about an hour and a half to two hours and the procedure is over. The person is then observed for about two hours after which she is free to go home.

“By the next day, the person can eat anything and 48 hours afterwards, do anything. The convenience to the patient and physician is huge. There is no blood transfusion, even on the day of the procedure, the doctor doesn’t need to touch the patient. All he does is just use software, and it is wonderful”, he explained.