Aspiration of the uterus in fibroids

Aspiration of the uterus in fibroids is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in the field of gynecology. Depending on the size of the benign tumor, the operation is performed under anesthesia with local anesthetic or under general anesthesia.

This technology of extracting a tumor from the uterus is one of the safest procedures. During surgery, the surgeon does not need to widen the cervical canal or remove fibroids along with the upper layer of healthy endometrium. The integrity of the cervix is also preserved, which is usually injured in the case of curettage.

Diagnostic aspiration of the uterus in fibroids

Uterine aspiration can be performed as a diagnostic procedure or to test the effectiveness of prescribed hormone therapy. This diagnosis is recommended under the following conditions:

• prolonged bleeding from the uterus outside the menstrual period;
• the presence of symptoms of hyperplasia (abnormal growth of tissue) of the uterus;
• the presence of bleeding after menopause;
• with symptoms of a malignant uterine tumor.

Treatment of uterine fibroids by aspiration

Often, therapeutic aspiration of uterine fibroids is prescribed together with drug therapy. The surgical procedure is also recommended in a number of other cases.:

• when diagnosed with uterine hyperplasia;
• in case of accumulation of fluid (pus, blood);
• for the purpose of cleansing the uterus after an unsuccessful abortion or childbirth.

Aspiration procedure for uterine fibroids

Vacuum aspiration is an outpatient procedure that involves staying in a clinic for several hours. The operation itself usually takes less than 15 minutes. The suction process is created by an electric pump (electric aspiration) or a manual pump (manual aspiration). Both methods use the same level of suction power and are therefore equivalent in terms of effectiveness and safety.

Additional medications used in vacuum aspiration include analgesics and Misoprostol. The doctor prescribes these medications the day before the procedure.

First, the patient is injected with a local anesthetic to anesthetize the cervix. The doctor can then use an expansion instrument to open the cervix, and sometimes to pre-administer medications. After that, a sterilized cannula is inserted into the uterus, which is attached to the pump. The pump creates a vacuum to empty the entire uterine cavity.

After aspiration of uterine fibroids, the extracted tumor is examined for the presence of cancer cells. If the neoplasm is completely benign, the patient is prescribed a second examination after 2 weeks. Diagnosis will include an infection test if any biological material has not been properly removed.

Complications of aspiration of uterine fibroids

Vacuum aspiration is 98% effective at removing the entire contents of the uterus. The remaining fibroids require repeated aspiration. Other complications occur at a rate of 1 in 100 procedures and include excessive blood loss, infection, damage to the cervix or uterus itself, and the formation of adhesions.