Surgery

There are a variety of ways a hysterectomy can be performed, including through an abdominal incision, through the vagina, or through an incision in the bellybutton (laparoscopically). The risks and long-term outcomes of these surgeries are generally the same. However, women who have the vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomies spend less time in the hospital and return to their normal activities sooner. The type of hysterectomy chosen depends on the size of the uterus, a woman's medical history, and the skills of her surgeon. Although a hysterectomy can require several days in the hospital and several weeks of recuperation, it has the advantage of being a guaranteed cure for fibroids. But it's obviously not an option for women planning future pregnancies.

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In extremely rare cases (about 1 in 1,000), fibroids can become malignant. Those that are large or rapidly growing are more likely to be cancerous. Since it's impossible to determine whether a fibroid is indeed cancerous without removing the fibroid and uterus, hysterectomies may be the preferred method of treatment in those with extremely large or rapidly growing fibroids. Postmenopausal women who continue to be plagued by fibroid symptoms, especially if they aren't taking hormone replacement therapy, may also be good candidates for hysterectomies since those fibroids that grow independent of estrogen have a greater likelihood of being malignant.

Other surgical approaches include:

Myomectomy

Thermomyolysis, cryomyolysis, and uterine embolization