Hysteroscopic management of large symptomatic submucous uterine myomas.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of hysteroscopic resection of large submucous uterine myomas.

DESIGN: Prospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3).

SETTING: Surgery unit of minimally invasive gynecology.

PATIENTS: Thirty-three women with submucous myomas 5 cm or larger in diameter with menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, or infertility.

INTERVENTION: Hysteroscopic myomectomy.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Satisfaction with the surgery and an improvement in symptoms were the primary outcomes. Possibility of 1-step resection; complication rate, and disease recurrence were also considered. Menorrhagia was the most frequent indication (91%). According to the Wamsteker classification, 84.8% were type II myomas, whereas 93.9% scored 5 or higher according to the classification of Lasmar and colleagues. Mean operating time was 50 minutes (interquartile range, 35-65). One-step excision was achieved in 81.8% of patients. Of 5 women with incomplete resection, 3 needed a second surgery, and 2 were symptom-free. Patients with myomas larger than 5 cm or with a Lasmar score higher than 7 were more likely to undergo a 2-step procedure. In patients with myomas larger than 6 cm, recovery time was significantly longer than in those with smaller myomas. We recorded 3 complications: intravasation, uterine perforation, and postoperative anemia, in 1 patient each; at present, all 3 women are symptom-free. Median (range) follow-up was 10 (6-22) months. Twenty-seven patients (81.2%) reported they were very satisfied; 5 patients (15.2%) were satisfied; and 1 patient (3%) was dissatisfied.

CONCLUSIONS: Hysteroscopic myomectomy can be the treatment of choice in symptomatic patients with a submucous myoma with diameter of 6 cm or less. Although this technique raises the possibility that complete resection may require 2 surgical sessions, it is a feasible surgical procedure. However, for myomas 6 cm or larger in diameter, this approach is less attractive. Nevertheless, we believe that all of the limiting criteria defined in the available literature should be evaluated individually, bearing in mind each patient's particular condition and the surgeon's experience and skill.