A fibroma is typically a benign fibroid or fibroid tumor. Fibromas are composed of fibrous, or connective, tissue.
Fibromas can be found in many places in the body. One common area for fibroma development is the female reproductive system. Examples include uterine fibroids and ovarian fibromas (benign ovarian tumors).
It is estimated that up to 70 percent of women develop uterine fibroids. They are usually found in women in their 30s and 40s and typically shrink in size after menopause. Fibroids are two to five times more common in African American women than Caucasian women. Ovarian fibromas are rare and are typically found in women in their 50s during perimenopause (transition to menopause) or postmenopause.
Some women with fibroids have no symptoms, or have only mild symptoms, while other women have more severe, debilitating symptoms. Common symptoms for uterine fibroids include:
Fibroids may be detected during palpation (feeling with fingers or hands) performed as part of a pelvic examination, or diagnosed through imaging, such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment depends on fibroid size, symptoms, and other factors. Asymptomatic fibroids may not require treatment. Myomectomy (surgical removal of a uterine fibroid) may be performed to remove fibroids that interfere with fertility in women who want to become pregnant. Hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) also is commonly performed for patients with debilitating symptoms of uterine fibroids, but it is not an option for women who are planning future pregnancies. Non-surgical uterine fibroid treatments include medications, uterine artery embolization, and focused ultrasound treatment.
The Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery provides comprehensive care for women with fibromas, uterine fibroids, abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, endometriosis, pelvic organ prolapse, cervical incompetence, and ovarian cysts – offering the latest minimally invasive options for these conditions.
When a patient’s condition calls for a surgical treatment of fibroids, including myomectomy or a hysterectomy, we strive to provide a safer and more effective alternative to traditional open surgery by performing the vast majority of our procedures via laparoscopy. We get referrals from other providers for complicated cases that would otherwise be performed via a large abdominal incision. We are leaders in developing innovative minimally invasive procedures that offer our patients:
We also collaborate with our gynecologic oncology surgical specialists, who offer robotic surgery as a means to treat patients with endometrial or cervical cancer. View our Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgeons.
The faculty members and researchers at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology are dedicated to doing everything possible to provide women and their families with the most advanced care available anywhere.
As a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, we are world-renowned for our expertise in gynecology and obstetrics, and have been a trusted name in women’s health for more than 180 years. Our rich history includes landmark research that has helped guide the care provided to women around the world. Learn more about our research.
Our commitment to patient- and family-focused care has shaped our Center for Women and Newborns at the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health – world-renowned for the quality of our obstetrical and neonatal care and dedicated to the most comprehensive state-of-the-art obstetrical services under one roof. Brigham and Women’s Hospital is the birthing center most women in Massachusetts choose and U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly named Brigham and Women’s Hospital among the top hospitals in the nation in Gynecology.
BWH has long been committed to not only the care of our patients but also the many other needs that they and their families have. This philosophy of patient- and family-focused care – involving systems and services that emphasize healing in a comfortable, relaxed environment – is a guiding force behind the care we provide.
BWH is committed to providing all of our patients with the safest, highest-quality, most-satisfying care possible and follow established protocols that have been shown to improve patient outcomes. Our Inpatient Satisfaction Survey, sent to patients’ to assess their total care experience, helps us to monitor what we are doing well and where we could improve. We pride ourselves in the Quality of Patient Care we provide and how we compare with other hospitals.
If you believe you should have an evaluation and would like to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, call 1-800-294-9999 to speak to one of our knowledgeable coordinators who can help to connect you to the doctor that best meets your needs, or fill out an online appointment request.
For over a century, a leader in patient care, medical education and research, with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery.
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