Things to Pay Attention to After Fibroid Surgery

Myomas (fibroids) are abnormal muscle growths that occur in the uterus wall . It is the most common type of benign tumor in women. They can be recognised as solid round shape tumors and can be located in different areas within the uterus. Another name for the fibroids is uterine lumps.

Although there is no complete consensus as to the cause, it is shown to occur largely due to estrogen hormone sensitivity and hereditary reasons . Therefore, it is a hormone-dependent tumor and fibroids are seen in 25% to 50% of fertile women.

During the Perimenopause stage , fibriod tissue may shrink due to the downward changes in hormone levels . The incidence increases in women who have excessive weight problems and have not given birth. Although it grows during pregnancy and causes pain, submucous fibroids can lead to infertility, miscarriage, recurrent pregnancy loss and premature birth.

Fibroids are generally treated with open and closed surgeries, yet there are also different type of treatment methods. We will give the details of these surgeries in the rest of our article.

In our article, we will give information about myoma surgery, post-operative hygiene and issues to consider after surgery.

What is Myomectomy?

Myoma surgery is a surgical method used to preserve the uterus while treating the fibroids. With these operations, many fibroids can be removed from the uterus. The rsurgical removing of the fibroids are also called myomectomy . Myomectomy can be performed as open or closed (laparosopic)surgery.

Laporoscopic (L/S) myomectomy is performed by observing the uterus with various equipment and making incisions in the relevant sections. L/S myoma surgery is an operation with a faster recovery process than open surgery. Generally, the patient spends the first night after surgery under observation in the hospital and is discharged the next day.

Open myoma surgery( myomectomy with laparatomy) is an operation performed by cutting the abdominal wall. In open myoma surgery, which is used in patients with large masses in the uterus , the recovery period takes a long time due to the open surgery and large incision .

It is natural to have pain after surgery. Your specialist physician may recommend various painkillers to relieve these pains, depending on your health condition . In addition, bleeding in the form of a few drops is also considered normal.

How soon the patient can return to normal life after myoma surgery may vary depending on the procedures determined by the specialist physician during the patient's recovery process. In closed myoma surgery, this period is between 2-4 weeks; In open myoma surgery, this period lasts between 4-6 weeks.

The choice of open or closed surgery is made after specialist physician checks, taking into account the number and size of the myoma in the patient. Additionally, another factor affecting this choice is the patient's health condition.

Things to Consider After Myomectomy,

There are some things you need to pay attention to, as after every gynecological operation. The issues we will talk about in our article consist of the precautions you should take for frequently encountered situations and what to do unless told otherwise. Because each patient's condition may be different, each patient must be treated under his or her own conditions.

You are likely to have staple or thread stitches, especially after open myoma surgery. These stitches are removed by your specialist in a period of time that varies depending on the condition of the wound. Stitches are usually removed within 7 to 10 days. There is no need to remove the stitches under the skin, in the abdomen and in the vagina. Since some of the suture materials used melt quickly in the body, your doctor may not remove your stitches.

If there is any bandage covering your wound, you can remove it after 24-48 hours unless your specialist says otherwise. When removing the bandage, you can wet it with hot water to make it easier to remove. You do not need to renew this bandage later, the wound can remain open. But here you must pay great attention to the cleanliness of the wound. Otherwise, it is possible that your wound will become infected and cause much worse consequences.

Due to the general structure of the wounds, you can achieve a faster healing process by providing the necessary hygiene conditions in the wounds after myoma surgery. Unless told otherwise, you can keep your wound clean by taking frequent showers. When performing this cleaning, you do not need to use vaginal cleansing gels, shower gel or soap. Water will be sufficient to ensure hygiene conditions. However, when performing this procedure, you should have minimal contact with the wound and avoid rubbing and touching it.

During the healing process, the wound heals and changes. It involves a process that can take up to a year for the injured area to regain its aesthetic state. During this process, your wound may become sensitive or the nerves in the area may lose sensation.

If you have not been informed by your specialist, never use creams, lotions or any substances on your wound area.

If there is any opening, redness, bleeding (bleeding up to a drop or two is possible) or discharge from your wound, you should consult your specialist as soon as possible.

Your intrauterine stitches are usually dissolvable. As a result of these stitches dissolving, different colored discharge may come from your vagina. It may come off as is, without melting, and fall on your hand or underwear.

Lifting weights can affect scar tissues, prolonging healing time or damaging stitches. Therefore, you should avoid lifting weights as much as possible. The patient should never lift weights that are too heavy to lift with one hand for the first 6 weeks after surgery. However, this is not the case after operations that do not cause any scars, such as closed myoma surgery.

Travel restrictions should be made according to the recommendations of your specialist physician. Generally, you should not drive alone for the first two weeks. You can only travel if you receive approval from a specialist physician for travel. Also, there is no harm in wearing a seat belt.

As with all gynecological operations, you should not have sexual intercourse for 2 to 6 weeks. You should also avoid the use of various sexual devices. Your specialist physician will provide detailed information on this subject, taking into account your situation.

Conditions such as loss of appetite and constipation are common, especially after surgery. When you have no appetite, it will be beneficial to eat frequently but little by little and drink plenty of water. To prevent constipation, you should choose foods with plenty of fiber and pay attention to your water consumption. Constipation while going to the toilet can negatively affect scar tissues. You can use natural methods such as walking, eating grains and vegetables, or take anti-constipation medications under the supervision of your specialist.

Hygiene After Myoma Surgery , As In Any Medical Operation

As after every operation, especially after the surgery where the wound is located, you should pay attention to hygiene conditions as much as possible. You can follow the steps below to ensure the necessary hygiene conditions.

• You should keep your hands clean. The biggest cause of infected wounds is hands. You should wash your hands carefully in the recommended ways. Hands should be washed with soap and water for at least one minute, especially before and after eating, after going to the toilet, and after touching anything that contains germs, such as garbage.

• You should avoid contact with people who have contagious diseases such as flu. Although it is unlikely that your wound will become infected in this case , you can weaken your immune system by taking the virus into your body. This may cause your wound to close later.

• You should take a bath to clean the vaginal area and wound area. However, if there is discharge from the wound, you should follow the advice of the specialist doctor. It is also important not to miss the dose, as contact with too much water may damage the stitches. You should clean the wound area using only water without rubbing it.

• You should be careful not to leave the wound moist after bathing. Because moisture causes various microbes to multiply in the wound.

• You should avoid sexual intercourse and masturbation. You should abstain from sexual intercourse during the healing process for both the condition and cleaning of the wound .

By providing these conditions, you will avoid the risk of infection to a great extent. However, in case of any signs of possible infection (such as fever and rash), you should immediately consult your specialist.

Our article is for informational purposes. It is recommended that you obtain treatment-related information from your specialist physician.