Question

from Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist: A Positive Care Approach, 5th ed.

A 32-year-old female patient complains of vague abdominal discomfort and a feeling of heaviness in the groin region. She has never been pregnant and is healthy, but has a family history of uterine cancer. The gynecologist's examination reveals that several irregularly shaped nodules that are firm and immobile are located within the uterus. Laboratory tests are normal, but sonography shows the presence of tumors. After a period of unsuccessful drug therapy, she is scheduled for surgery. Answer the following question from a gynecological standpoint.

1. Describe the decision-making path that the gynecologist took to reach a final diagnosis.
2. What is the probable diagnosis in the patient's case?
3. If she wants to have children, what procedure would be performed?
4. What are the common complications of the procedure?

Answer 1

• the diagnosis was made based on the size,texture and the number of the tumours present while the diagnostic study was performed and through the assessment findings performed by the gynecologist
• the diagnosis of the patient is uteine fibroid
• if the woman wants to become pregnant, the best procedure to be performed would be myomectomy which leaves the uterus inside
• complications of myomectomy include injury to bladder, rectum and uterus, severe hemorrhage and anemia secondary to hemorhage, adhesions, infections, reoccurence of fibroids later in future