ABCs
ï‚· A - airway
ï‚· B - breathing
 C – circulation
Uterine Leiomyoma
ï‚· Benign, slow growing solid tumors of the muscle layer of the uterus (fibroids)
ï‚· Excessive local growth of smooth muscle tissues
o Growth may be stimulated by estrogen, progesterone, and growth
hormone
Assessment: asymptomatic or symptomatic (heavy prolonged vaginal bleeding)**
ï‚· Assess pelvic pressure, elimination pattern, abdomen size, dyspareunia,
infertility
ï‚· Painful menses
ï‚· Elimination patterns (due to enlarged fibroid pressing on organs)
ï‚· Ask how many pads/tampons used in a day
S/S: Heavy periods or periods that last a long time & abd distention, urinary
frequency
Psychosocial assessment:
ï‚· Quality of life from dyspareunia
ï‚· Fear that symptoms could be cancerous
ï‚· Anxiety
ï‚· Significance of loss of uterus for patient and partner if want to conceive
Diagnostic assessment:
 CBC – iron deficiency anemia from heavy bleeding
ï‚· WBC would be normal
 HGB and HCT – low
ï‚· Pregnancy test to rule out uterine enlargement
 Transvaginal US – able to see if fibroid is protruding into uterine cavity
ï‚· Biopsy: gold standard
Pelvic exam
Planning and Implementation
ï‚· Manage bleeding
o Non-surgical management: oral contraceptive**
o Surgical management:
ï‚§ MRI focused ultrasound-heat to tumor
 Uterine artery embolization – starves tumor of circulation
allowing it to shrink