Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) refers to excessive bleeding or bleeding occurring at a time other than the period. There are both medical and surgical treatments available to correct AUB. Patients are often initially treated with medical therapy, if there is not a specific structural cause for the AUB. Those who fail medical therapy or who have diagnosed, anatomic causes of AUB – such as fibroids or polyps – should consider surgical treatment. The options for patients when it comes to surgical therapy vary depending on various considerations, such as whether the patient has completed childbearing.
Medical Treatment Options
Hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, shots, patches, rings, or IntraUterine Devices), which contain the hormones estrogen and/or progesterone, are often used to treat AUB due to menstrual dysfunction. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, reduce pain and cramping during the menstrual period, and are often prescribed in combination with oral contraceptives to control bleeding.
Surgical Treatment Options
Minimally invasive surgical treatment options for AUB include polyectomy, hysteroscopic or laparoscopic myomectomy, endometrial ablation, total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH), laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LSH), and total vaginal hysterectomy (TVH). Which treatment is best for the patient depends on the underlying cause and severity of the abnormal bleeding as well as other considerations, including whether or not the patient wants to preserve her fertility and/or uterus. The Georgia Advanced Surgery Center performs all of these procedures as sameday, outpatient surgeries that require no unsightly incisions or hospital stays and provide patients far faster, less painful recovery than traditional surgery.