Composed mostly of muscle tissue, the uterus is where a baby grows and develops before birth. For reasons that are not fully understood, some women develop benign muscle tumors, called myomas, on different areas of the uterus. Myomas (also called fibroids) may run in families (genetically determined) and are more common in certain ethnic groups. Fibroids can grow in various locations such as on the outside of the uterine wall, inside the uterine walls, or inside the uterine cavity, and can range in size from smaller than a pea to larger than a watermelon. If the myomas severely distort the uterus or interfere with implantation or maintenance of a pregnancy, surgical treatment may become necessary to remove the fibroids via a procedure called myomectomy.

IVFMD’s reproductive surgeons are renowned for their skills in performing myomectomies. The surgical approach depends on various factors, such as the woman’s overall health, and the size, number, and location of the myomas. For example, a fibroid inside the uterine cavity may be treated by inserting a thin, lighted telescope with a camera attached (called a hysteroscope) and cutting the myoma away without any skin incisions. Myomas on the outside of the uterus may be removed by inserting a thin, lighted telescope with a camera attached through the umbilicus (belly-button) during a procedure called laparoscopy. Other small incisions are created to use manipulators, scissors, and other thin instruments to aid in the myoma removal. A surgical “robot” may be employed to assist in the myomectomy, again depending on the individual situation.