Women with uterine fibroids are often unaware of the highly effective treatment options available to them. The Montefiore-Einstein Fibroid Center provides a unique opportunity to receive thorough, conveniently centralized care that emphasizes early detection, careful diagnosis and an individualized approach for each patient.
State-of-the-Art Treatment
Uterine fibroids may occur in up to 50 percent of women during their childbearing years. One in four of these women require treatment. Of the more than 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the United States, almost 35 percent are for uterine fibroids.
Our expert staff at the Fibroid Center includes five gynecologists and two nurse practitioners. Together, we help each woman determine the best treatment, based on the size and location of her fibroids, her age and general health, and her reproductive history and plans. We take particular care to discuss the best options for those women who anticipate future pregnancies.
If a woman thinks she might have uterine fibroids, we begin by offering an accurate diagnosis. Symptoms include:
Heavy or prolonged menstrual cycles
Pelvic pain
A firm, unidentified mass in the patient's stomach
Center Without Walls
When a woman experiences any, or all, of these symptoms, we can use a pelvic exam and ultrasound to determine the best treatment plan. Or her own doctor may refer her to us for expert diagnosis. Our Fibroid Center is a center without walls, and we work closely with other departments at Montefiore when a woman requires additional specialized care.
Our doctors help each woman weigh the advantages of the following treatment options:
Hysterectomy: Suitable for women who do not want children in the future, this procedure is the most common treatment option. It ensures that the growths will not reoccur. Our skilled doctors can help women choose whether a vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy is right for them.
Hysteroscopic and Laparoscopic Myomectomy: This minimally invasive procedure is one of the few methods approved for women who want to have children in the future. It is performed in conjunction with the Montefiore Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery, a state-of-the-art facility that trains residents and faculty from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and other regional medical schools. A laparoscopic device is inserted through the belly button to remove the fibroid and repair the uterine wall.
Uterine Fibroid Embolization: This non-surgical treatment is an increasingly popular alternative to hysterectomies. About 13,000 procedures are performed annually in the United States and three to four are performed each week at Montefiore's Division of Vascular & Interventional Radiology. It involves blocking the fibroid's blood supply, which results in 35 to 45 percent shrinkage.
Endometrial Ablation: A minimally invasive procedure, it takes about eight minutes. An ambulatory anesthetic is administered, and the patient goes home the same day.
Medication: This is not a long-term fix, and it may not be effective for all women. But it can shrink fibroids and control symptoms.