Gynae presentations - 2) Menorrhagia/HMB Flashcards
Define HMB/menorrhagia
- Blood loss >80ml/period;
- in practice it is diagnosed based on patient’s perception of blood loss, sanitary products used, and effect on QoL
What are the causes of menorrhagia (HMB)?
Structural: PALM
- Polyps - endometrial
- Adenomyosis
- Fibroids (Leiomyoma)
- Malignancies:
- Endometrial cancer - younger patients
- Cervical cancer
Hormonal:
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Infection:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
Systemic:
- Thyroid disease
- Haemostatic disorders
- Anticoagulant therapy
What does PID and malignancies (cervical, endometrial & ovarian) usually present with alongside menorrhagia (HMB)?
Irregular bleeding
What are fibroids?
Benign tumours of uterine smooth muscle (leiomyomas)
How are fibroids classified/
According to location wrt to uterine wall:
- Intramural (most common): confined to myometrium
- Submucosal: underneath the endometrium; protrudes into uterine cavity
-
Subserosal: protrudes into serosal (outer) surface of the uterus
- May be pedunculated
- Cervical: located within the cervix
What is the aetiology of fibroids?
They are oestrogen-dependent benign tumours
- Enlarge during pregnancy and in response to the hyperoestrogenic state, and shrink after menopause when oestrogen production ceases
- Exact cause is unknown
They undergo degenerative change, usually when they outgrow their blood supply
What are the types of degenerative change that fibroids can undergo?
- There are 3 forms of degeneration:
- Red: haemorrhage and necrosis occurs within the fibroid, often in pregnancy
- Hyaline: asymptomatic softening and liquefaction of the fibroid
-
Cystic: asymptomatic central necrosis leaving cystic spaces at the centre
- Degenerative changes can initiate calcium deposition → calcification
RFs for fibroids?
- obesity,
- early menarche,
- age in 40s,
- FHx,
- African-American
Symptoms of fibroids?
- Vast majority are small and asymptomatic
-
Menorrhagia
- Usually due to submucosal fibroids
- Dysmenorrhoea
-
Pelvic mass, pressure, abdominal distension/bloating
- Fibroids are usually multiple and can substantially increase the size of the uterus
-
May have bulk effects on adjacent structures:
- Subfertility (mechanical distortion of uterine tubes/uterine cavity)
- Urinary symptoms, constipation
Signs of fibroids O/E?
- Abdo: palpable mass in pelvis
- Bimanual: enlarged, firm, non-tender uterus
Ix for fibroids?
- FBC (if HMB)
-
TAUSS (pelvic)
- Mainstay of diagnosis
- TAUSS detects larger intramural and subserosal fibroids
-
TVUSS
- Mainstay of diagnosis
- TVUSS detects submucosal and small intramural fibroids
-
Hysteroscopy
- Can detect submucosal fibroids
- Used to plan subsequent treatment or for actual treatment
What is the Mx of fibroids, if fertility is wished to be preserved?
Choice of Tx is determined by the PC and patient’s wishes for menstrual function and fertility
-
1<u>st</u> line: Medical therapies (3-6 months)
-
GnRH agonists e.g., leuprorelin
- Induces low oestrogen (menopausal) state → amenorrhoea → fibroid shrinkage
- Only used prior to surgery (myomectomy/hysterectomy)
-
Antiprogesteronese.g., mifepristone
- Shrinks fibroid
- SEs: vasomotor symptoms, risk of endometrial hyperplasia
-
IUDe.g., Levonorgestrel
- 1st line for fibroids <3mm + no uterine distortion
-
NSAIDs
- Reduces HMB, also treats dysmenorrhoea and pelvic pain
-
Tranexamic acid
- Reduces HMB & cause necrosis of fibroids
-
GnRH agonists e.g., leuprorelin
-
1<u>st</u> line: Surgery
-
Myomectomy
- Can be laparoscopic/abdo/hysteroscopic
- But hysteroscopic → increased recurrence of fibroids, especially when multiple
- ST risks: infection, bleeding, other organ injury, emergency hysterectomy due to bleeding
- LT risks: uterine rupture during subsequent pregnancies, recurrence of fibroids
-
Myomectomy
What is the Mx of fibroids, if fertility is not wished to be preserved?
Choice of Tx is determined by the PC and patient’s wishes for menstrual function and fertility
Fertility not preserved; uterus preserved
-
1<u>st</u> line: Surgery
- Myomectomy
-
OR 1<u>st</u> line: Uterine artery embolisation
-
Uterine artery embolisation
- Embolisation of both uterine arteries under radiological guidance guidance → reduced blood supply to uterus → infarction and degradation of fibroids (50% reduction in size)
- Minimally invasive; avoids GA and surgery
- Reduces fertility but doesn’t eradicate risk
- ST risks: infection, bleeding, allergic reaction to contrast dye, PAIN, femoral artery puncture site haematoma, incomplete procedure, embolisation of other organs’ blood supply
- LT risks: vaginal discharge, expulsion of fibroid material, infection, may cause premature ovarian failure and infertility, 1/3 women need subsequent treatment within 5yrs
-
Uterine artery embolisation
- PLUS, Pre-op adjunct medical therapies (see above)
Fertility not preserved; uterus not preserved
-
1<u>st</u> line: Surgery
-
Hysterectomy
- May be laparoscopic/abdo/vaginal
- ST/LT risks: damage to urinary tract/bowel/vagina, risk of vaginal vault prolapse
-
Hysterectomy
-
OR 1<u>st</u> line: Uterine artery embolisation
- Uterine artery embolisation
- PLUS, Pre-op adjunct medical therapies (see above)
What are the complications of fibroids?
- Recurrent growth
- Complications of treatment (e.g., infertility, infection)
-
Malignant/sarcomatous transformation
- 1 in 350
- Suspect in postmenopausal period or when size rapidly increases
-
Obstetric complications:
- Subfertility due to distortion of uterine tubes/cavity (removal can enhance fertility)
- Risk of miscarriage is not increased once pregnancy is established
- May enlarge in pregnancy → abnormal lie, obstruct vaginal delivery
- Red degeneration → may precipitate uterine contractions if severe
- PPH (due to inefficient uterine contraction)
What is the prognosis of fibroids?
- Treatment is usually effective but may recur (unless hysterectomy)
What is an endometrial polyp?
An abnormal, benign, growth of issue which projects from a mucous membrane
Aetiology of endometrial polyp?
- Benign tumours that grow into the uterine cavity; usually endometrial but may be from submucosal glands
Aetiology is unknown
- Associated with high oestrogen, chronic inflammation, and atherosclerotic blood vessels
- Do not respond to normal hormonal changes (like normal endometrium) → unscheduled vaginal bleeding
RFs and protective factors for endometrial polyps?
RFs:
- high oestrogen (e.g., obesity, PCOS, nulliparity, HRT, tamoxifen, late menopause) (causes endometrial proliferation, myometrial growth & motility, etc.)
- HTN
Protective factors:
- any method that increases progesterone levels (e.g. IUS) (prevents endometrial proliferation, etc.)
What is adenomyosis
- Disorder in which endometrial glands and stroma are present within the myometrium (uterine musculature),
- → hypertrophy of the surrounding myometrium
Epidemiology of adenomyosis?
20-35% of women
RFs for adenomyosis?
- parity (previous pregnancy)
- endometriosis & fibroids
Sx of adenomyosis?
- ⅓ are asymptomatic
- HMB/menorrhagia
- due to increased endometrial surface of the enlarged uterus
- dysmenorrhea
- due to bleeding and swelling of endometrial islands confined by myometrium
- ~ chronic pelvic pain