Fibroid Treatment in North Jersey
Up to 80% of all women may be affected by fibroids by age 50, but the debilitating symptoms can be overcome with minimally invasive treatment
Uterine fibroids is a rather common condition diagnosed in women of all ages. It typically causes symptoms in the second to 4th decade of life. The symptoms are heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, back pain, constipation, and urinary frequency. Fibroids can also be detected incidentally in infertility patients or patients who suffer from chronic anemia.
Fibroids are almost never dangerous and considered benign. There are three main treatment options for fibroids. Medical therapy, uterine artery embolization and surgery. Surgery would entail hysterectomy if fertility is no longer desired or myomectomy if the patient wishes to maintain future fertility. Patients are often referred to Dr. Ali Ghomi specifically for surgery after other options are considered and found unsuccessful.
Dr. Ghomi extensively counsels every patient about all the available options, risks, and benefits. Every patient receives individualized care because every patient’s situation is unique. Dr. Ghomi does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. There can be misinformation and certain biases on non-reputable online sites, which makes decision-making challenging for the patients and creates confusion. Dr. Ghomi believes there is never a single therapy or procedure that works well for everyone. Our philosophy is to fully educate every and each patient and her choices so she can fully participate in the decision-making process and reach a medical decision that is the right one for her.
Why Choose Dr. Ali Ghomi?
Dr. Ghomi is among the most proficient robotic gynecologic surgeons in the country based on his annual surgical volume and performance metrics. He has successfully completed more than 3,500 robotic surgeries and offers treatment for endometriosis on a case to case basis.
Dr. Ghomi has extensive experience performing robotic surgery for advanced endometriosis since 2008. Dr. Ghomi’s surgical metrics is at top 10% of endometriosis robotic surgeons in the country. Dr. Ghomi has performed more than 1000 robotic endometriosis surgeries and he mainly treats complex cases of endometriosis through referral. His average robotic surgical time is 20 minutes based on published data.
What Are Uterine Fibroids?
A fibroid is a benign mass of cells that exist within the tissues of the uterus. These lumps are not cancerous, though they can cause significant symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, chronic pain, and more.
Fibroids are an extremely common female condition, and are said to affect up to 80% of all women by age 50, though not every individual will present symptoms of fibroids. Many women that do experience difficulties with fibroids will begin to notice symptoms as their benign tumors gradually grow larger over time. This growth is likely to continue, along with worsening symptoms, if the woman’s fibroids remain untreated.
How Does Dr. Ghomi Diagnose Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are often diagnosed during a woman’s routine gynecological examination, which she should be completing every single year as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Depending upon the particular location of the patient’s fibroid, Dr. Ghomi may need to conduct an ultrasound or pelvic MRI in order to definitively confirm or deny a case of uterine fibroids.
What Are the Symptoms of Fibroids?
As mentioned, fibroids typically cause excessive bleeding along with recurring pelvic pain. This pain is often misdiagnosed by patients as regular cramping during their menstrual cycle, but is most often the result of the positioning or increasing size of their uterine fibroids.
In addition to heavy bleeding and pain, fibroids can also cause:
- Bloating of the lower abdomen
- Frequent and sudden need to urinate
- Pain during intercourse
- Problems with fertility
- Low back pain
- Complications during pregnancy
What Causes Fibroids?
Unfortunately, there is no one particular cause of fibroids. Medical professionals and researchers speculate that the development of uterine fibroids is related to hormonal imbalances as well as the patient’s genetic history, meaning that individuals have little to no control over their risk for encountering this condition.
How Are Fibroids Treated?
There are a variety of treatment methods available for women with uterine fibroids. Individuals who do not experience significant symptoms of fibroids are unlikely to ever require treatment, but those who frequently suffer from pain and discomfort from fibroids should consult with Dr. Ghomi about their options. Common treatment methods include Fibroid medications and surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy or myomectomy.
Schedule a Consultation for Fibroid Treatment in Wayne, NJ
If you have been diagnosed with fibroids, or are seeking a diagnosis, contact Dr. Ali Ghomi to discuss your symptoms and treatment options. Dr. Ghomi provides treatment for women in Paterson, Lincoln Park, and Fairfield, NJ, call his gynecology clinic in Northern New Jersey at (862) 657-3150 to schedule a consultation for fibroid treatment today!
Uterine Fibroid FAQs
You will meet with Dr. Ghomi’s nurse who will go over the plan. A surgical date is provided. You will be instructed how to obtain preoperative labs, You will have to have a visit with your physician who will provide a letter of medical clearance after reviewing your labs, chest x-ray and EKG. It is very important to follow preoperative instructions including bowel prep the day prior to surgery.
Both procedures are performed robotically through 4-5 dime sized abdominal incisions. Myomectomy is as involved as hysterectomy. Performing both procedures require sub specialized expertise and skill. The average operative times for both procedures are about 75 minutes in Dr. Ghomi’s experience. Complex cases could last as long as 3 hours. Vast majority of patients are discharged home the same day of surgery. Full recovery after hysterectomy is 6-8 weeks. Full recovery after myomectomy is 1-2 weeks shorter.
Absolutely. However, Dr. Ghomi does not perform laparoscopic hysterectomy or planned abdominal hysterectomy any longer since the adoption of robotic surgery. Dr. Ghomi specializes in robotic surgery to perform hysterectomy and myomectomy unless contraindicated.
Yes, only if the fibroid is within the uterine cavity—so called submucosal myoma. The procedure is referred to as hysteroscopic myomectomy. It is a much less involved procedure than robotic myomectomy. The recovery is 7-10 days.
Complications are generally similar. Main complications include but not limited to bleeding, infection, injury to the abdominal organs, anesthesia complications and blood clot formation. Overall complications rate is 2-3%.
Because of concerns regarding undiagnosed cancer dissemination, electric morcellation is no longer allowed during hysterectomy or myomectomy at hospitals where Dr. Ghomi operates.
For more information regarding hysterectomy and myomectomy refer to www.acog.org.
