Uterine Fibroid Treatment Side Effects

The serious uterine fibroid treatment side effects of hysterectomies and myomectomies slowly led physicians to develop “safer,” less invasive, non-surgical alternatives. However, patients have discovered the hard way that these alternative treatments may come with serious side effects of their own.

One type of uterine fibroid treatment risks a serious cancer called leiomyosarcoma.

Laparoscopic power morcellation is a new technique used to remove uterine fibroids. The procedure involves a long, thin device called a morcellator with a small rotary blade at the end, which “morcellates” the fibroids, tearing them into pieces.

Morcellation can release these dormant cancer cells into the uterus. These cells can then travel to other parts of the body, becoming malignant, inoperable and fatal. The FDA has found that 1 in 350 women who undergo laparoscopic power morcellation will develop leiomyosarcoma, a smooth tissue cancer that is present in some fibroids. The prevalence of this uterine fibroids treatment side effect is small, but significant enough for the FDA to issue a warning and for some hospitals and doctors to voluntarily stop using the procedure.

Uterine Fibroids Cancer Lawsuit

Medical trials are being conducted to gauge the safety of using morcellators equipped with small bags to contain potentially cancerous tissue; however, until they are proven to be safe, women should discuss the risks of laparoscopic power morcellation with their doctor. Patients are preparing a uterine fibroids cancer lawsuit against the manufacturers of the original devices, arguing that they ignored the potential dangers.

Side Effect Victims

Women who developed Uterine Cancer, Stomach Cancer or Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) after undergoing Fibroid Removal or a Hysterectomy may be eligible for compensation. Don’t let your valuable legal rights expire – request a free case review by visiting:

Click here to receive your free case evaluation.

Alternative Treatment Options

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) is another relatively new non-surgical alternative for fibroid removal. UFE cuts off the supply of oxygen to fibroids by blocking the blood vessels that lead to them using a very small arterial tube.

Post Embolization Syndrome (PES) is a commonly reported uterine fibroid treatment side effect, consisting of nausea, fever and vomiting for several days and even weeks after the procedure. PES results from toxins released by fibroids as they decay and can usually be treated with over-the-counter medications.

The post Risks and Side Effects of Uterine Fibroids Treatment appeared first on Citizens Report.

Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) works by injecting small particles to block the blood vessels feeding the tumors. Without a blood supply, the fibroids wither, die and detach from the uterine wall within a matter of days. The particles—“emboli”—are delivered via a very thin catheter inserted into the femoral artery of the upper thigh and, from there, all the way to the uterus. UFE is typically an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia, and it takes about an hour. Keep in mind UFE is a routine procedure performed by an interventional radiologist, not a doctor.

UFE is one of the safest and least invasive fibroid removal procedures available today; however, it still has a few downsides. However, when compared with the potential complications of surgical treatments—infection, hemorrhaging and even increased cancer risk—the side-effects of UFE are minimal.

“Postembolization syndrome” (PES)

Consists of menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, nausea, generalized discomfort and other flu-like ailments. The majority of women who undergo uterine fibroid embolization will develop post-embolization syndrome—the rate is over 80%—and most report symptoms starting within 3 days of the procedure and lasting anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. Post-embolization syndrome results from a combination of inflammation around the blocked blood vessels and and harmful toxins released by fibroids as they die.

PES is the most common, but not the only, side-effect of uterine fibroid embolization. Because they have no way of knowing how much stress UFE has put on the uterine wall, many doctors recommend patients go on birth control for at least 6 months after the procedure. Although there are many documented cases of successful, natural pregnancies following UFE, doctors will sometimes recommend cesarean sections to avoid rupturing the uterine wall.

Patients with fibroids that are too large to be treated by UFE or other minimally invasive procedures and who are reluctant to submit to a serious surgery should talk to their doctors about hormone therapy. Hormone therapy can be used to shrink fibroids over time, gradually making them amenable to a non-surgical treatments like embolization.

Side Effects

Women who developed Uterine Cancer, Stomach Cancer or Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) after undergoing Fibroid Removal or a Hysterectomy may be eligible for compensation. Don’t let your valuable legal rights expire – request a free case review by visiting:

Click here to receive your free case evaluation.

The post Uterine Fibroid Embolization, a Safer Alternative to Surgery appeared first on Citizens Report.