Despite what women are often told, relief from fibroids does not always require a hysterectomy and giving up hopes of having a child. Myomectomy, or fibroid removal surgery, is the removal of fibroids from the uterus sparing the uterus for pregnancy.
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Open myomectomy uses a large incision to remove fibroids and causes severe pain and a long recovery of 8 weeks.
Robotic myomectomy is not as complete a surgery as the open approach and can leave many fibroids behind.
Embolization does not remove fibroids but decreases blood supply to them. This can be a painful procedure with a longer recovery time, and should NOT be used for patients wanting to maintain pregnancy options.
LAAM (LAAM®) is The Center for Innovative GYN Care® (CIGC) approach to fibroid removal surgery. Laparoscopically Assisted Abdominal Myomectomy provides the same excellent results as open surgery but with far less pain and a recovery time that is faster than other methods.
LAAM was developed by the surgical specialists at CIGC in 2005. It is a uniquely powerful procedure that can remove uterine fibroids of almost any size – at all locations in the uterus.
As a hybrid procedure, LAAM is a combination of laparoscopy and a mini-laparotomy (small 1.5-inch incision). Performed on an outpatient basis at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), LAAM requires only two small incisions that typically heal with near-invisible scars. In addition, performing LAAM at a surgery center is more cost-effective, saving patients thousands of dollars over more expensive hospital-based procedures.
There are clear and present problems associated with minimally invasive, robotic fibroid surgery and standard laparoscopy performed by other medical practices. Robotic surgery cannot remove deeper fibroids in the uterus that cause problems with bleeding and fertility. They also take much longer to perform and are more expensive. Standard laparoscopy – surgery without the robot – is very limited in its ability to remove fibroids.
Open myomectomy removes fibroids through the uterus and provides a strong “closure” of the uterine muscle, which is difficult with robotic or standard laparoscopy and can remove all the fibroids. Our fellowship-trained myomectomy surgeons developed LAAM as a more reasonable option to open surgery, providing the same result in regards to fibroid removal and muscle closure but with much smaller incisions and a recovery time of only two weeks.
What Our Patients Say about LAAM
“When the situation seems complicated to another doctor, the first thing they want to say is, ‘Oh, you need a hysterectomy.’ I did my own research and got in touch with CIGC. Don’t get that hysterectomy. Don’t give up.” – Ashley
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Both standard and robotic procedures use laparoscopic surgical techniques to remove fibroids from the uterus. However, the major disadvantage of pure laparoscopic techniques is the inability of the surgeon to feel the fibroids within the uterus.
With LAAM, the surgeon can actually identify and feel the fibroids through the 1.5-inch incision, which assists in the removal of very large fibroids. Most importantly, tactile sense allows the CIGC surgeon to identify and remove much smaller fibroids deeper in the uterus near the uterine cavity that cause infertility, heavy bleeding and can grow with time.
As the fibroids are removed with LAAM, the surgeon hand-sutures each uterine incision to reinforce the muscle and help prevent rupture of the organ during pregnancy. An effective closing technique is essential for patients interested in maintaining their fertility options.
Robotic and standard laparoscopy requires the surgeon to perform the closure laparoscopically, which takes more time without providing the same strength closure.
Recovery time can vary depending on the number and size of fibroids removed. Small fibroids (less than 10 cm) can lead to a recovery time as fast as seven days, while very large fibroids (greater than 20 cm) can take two to three weeks to recover from. For moderate-sized fibroids (less than 20 cm), recovery time is typically 10 to 14 days.
However, patients with LAAM benefit from a functional recovery at home, not at the hospital, meaning they may perform some normal activities within two to three days.
Fibroids can lead to a range of distressful symptoms, including heavy bleeding, pain during intercourse, incontinence, bowel blockage, blood clots in the pelvis and legs, anemia, infertility and more.
While some providers may recommend a “watch and wait” approach, fibroids do not go away on their own and should generally always be treated with surgery. Fibroids will continue to grow as long as estrogen (the female sex hormone) is produced, and estrogen is produced up until menopause.
“Watch and wait” should never be used if symptoms of heavy bleeding and pain are present, or if fertility is desired. Growing fibroids have a very real negative effect on conception and pregnancy, so any woman who wishes to conceive should seriously consider fibroid removal.
The LAAM technique is a major advancement in fibroid treatment used exclusively at CIGC. Taking the best parts of each surgery to create better patient outcomes means that LAAM leads to a faster recovery time, the ability to preserve fertility options and reduced scarring post-treatment.
Advanced Fibroid Removal at CIGC
If you think you may have fibroids, the GYN specialists at The Center for Innovative GYN Care can help you weigh your options to preserve fertility. Talk to a patient advocate today about meeting with one of our experts.
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