Gynecology

Uterine fibroids are a commonly occurring, often noncancerous growth (or tumor) that develops in the muscular wall of the uterus.

There are different types of symptoms women can experience if they have fibroid tumors, including:

• Anemia
• Enlarged abdomen
• Excessive menstrual bleeding
• Painful intercourse
• Pelvic pain or pressure
• Urinary incontinence or constipation

Surgical treatments for fibroids

Many women start with conservative fibroid treatments, such as watchful waiting and/or medications to reduce inflammation. Your gynecologist will create a plan for monitoring and a schedule of medications. If you need more aggressive treatment, our gynecologists are experienced in performing minimally invasive surgeries, which allow them to perform these procedures through several tiny incisions instead of one larger one. This helps to minimize complications, lessen pain, reduce scarring and get you back to normal activity faster.

When you need it, our specialized surgeons use advanced treatment options, including:

• Advanced hysteroscopic and laparoscopic/robotic fibroid surgery: Removes fibroids or the uterus
• Hysterectomy: Surgery removing the uterus
• Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (Lap-RFA) procedure: A new minimally invasive, same-day (outpatient) therapy for fibroids using radiofrequency ablation
• Myomectomy: Surgery removing the fibroids
• Uterine artery embolization (in collaboration with interventional radiology colleagues)
• Vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES): An advanced minimally invasive gynecologic surgery combining the benefits of the laparoscopic and vaginal approaches to gynecologic surgery

Interventional radiology treatments

As an alternative to surgery, we also offer interventional radiology (IR) treatment options for uterine fibroids. These treatments are less invasive than surgery and are performed by a highly skilled team of interventional radiologists.

Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is an IR procedure blocking blood flow the fibroid, causing it to shrink and die, leaving the rest of the uterus healthy. UFE generally involves less post-treatment hormone therapy than a hysterectomy.

If you have been diagnosed with cervical, ovarian, uterine or vulvar cancers, we know that it can feel daunting. However, it is important you know that information, support and open communication can help.

Along with advanced diagnostic and treatment options, that is what we offer. In our cancer care unit, our team of gynecologic oncologists will walk with you through this journey and guide you on the road towards recovery.

Robot-assisted surgery is an innovative type of minimally invasive surgery that allows skilled surgeons to perform advanced procedures with enhanced precision. Our physicians use this and other laparoscopic technologies to perform many types of gynecological surgery including:

• Colpopexy: Repairs the vagina by suturing the vagina to the abdominal wall
• Excision of endometriosis: Uses extreme heat to destroy or remove endometrial growths and scar tissue
• Hysterectomy: Removes the uterus, sometimes to treat cancer
• Myomectomy: Removes uterine fibroids
• Ovarian cystectomy: Removes an ovarian cyst
• Sacrocolpopexy: Treats vaginal and uterine prolapse by using a piece of mesh to hold the vagina in the correct anatomical position
• Salpingo-oophorectomy: Removes the ovaries and fallopian tubes
• Tubal ligation: Closes the fallopian tubes as a sterilization procedure

Our robotic surgery team has extensive experience and is one of the highest volume gynecological robotic programs in Colorado.