Laparoscopic myomectomy and abdominal myomectomy.

Most women develop myomas during their lifetimes; however, 80% are asymptomatic. When symptoms are determined to be caused by myomas, a number of management options exist that include "watchful waiting," medical therapy, surgery, or more recently uterine artery embolization and focused ultrasound. Myomectomy, either abdominal or laparoscopic, is an approach particularly suited for those women who wish future fertility. It seems clear that, in well trained and experienced hands, well-selected patients can have myomectomy performed under laparoscopic direction. Very large myomas are not as suitable for the laparoscopic approach, but are amenable to a uterine conserving procedure via laparotomy that is facilitated by a number of preoperative and intraoperative measures aimed to minimize or replace operative blood loss. These techniques should provide selected women a uterine conserving procedure with reduced morbidity.