Myomectomy Recovery

A Few Facts About Myomectomy Recovery

Myomectomy recovery usually involves a hospital stay of a few days, followed by a recovery period of a month to 6 weeks at home. Although the removal of the tissue, known as uterine fibroids, may seem like a simple task, a myomectomy more often than not falls in the category of major surgery. The outcome, and the myomectomy recovery time, usually depends upon the size, nature, and exact location of the uterine fibroids.

Surgery is not always required to treat the fibroids, and in certain cases they can simply be left alone unless they become quite large. Often though, surgery will be needed, or at least desired, to enhance a woman's ability to become pregnant. Hormonal therapy is sometimes used to shrink the fibroids, but this is most often done when surgery would be required in any event. The seriousness the fibroids present is most often tied to a woman's ability to conceive, but depending upon the size and location of the fibroids, they can at times cause serous internal problems. The fibroids themselves are generally not malignant, and fall within the category of benign pelvic tumors. Usually consultation with the doctor, followed by an exam and testing, will determine whether surgery is necessary, or whether it is mainly desired on the part of the patient, or recommended by the doctor.

Women under 20 and those who have gone through menopause are seldom affected by these fibroids, and in many instances fibroids appear, only to shrink and disappear at a later time. Their cause remains unknown, though it is suspected there is a link between the fibroids and estrogen. The size can vary dramatically from a fibroid that can only be seen under the microscope, to one which may weigh several pounds.

Myomectomy Recovery - A hospital stay of anywhere from 2 to 5 days is typical, with the first few hours following surgery spent in a recovery room. Pain medication will be administered, as the days following the procedure are otherwise apt to be uncomfortable ones. If staples are used to close the incision a return visit to the hospital will usually be required within a week to remove them. When stitches are used, they are almost always the type that dissolve, and a return visit will not be necessary. The incision made to perform a myomectomy is fairly large. It is made horizontally across the lower abdomen, though in some cases a vertical incision may be made, and the incision is typically anywhere from 6 to 9 inches in length.

Aside from medications that may be prescribed for use during the recovery process, recovery will consist mainly of initially getting plenty of rest, then taking it relatively easy, followed by slowly working towards getting back to normal, a process which will take around 6 weeks. Following surgery, the patient will be appraised of any symptoms which might appear that would necessitate medical attention or at least monitoring. Obviously, any abnormal pain or fever which suddenly appears could necessitate a return to the hospital or at least contacting the hospital or the doctor.

Myomectomy Risks - A myomectomy is a relatively safe procedure as far as surgeries go, even though it is a major surgery. The results over the years have been generally successful, and complications have been few, although it is noted that no surgery is without risk of complications. Should complications occur, they would most likely be an infection or bleeding, either internally or at location of the incision. There is also always the possibility of a blood clot, and some patients may experience an adverse reaction to the anesthesia given, or to one of the medications prescribed or given. The benefits gained however almost always far outweigh any risks involved.