What are the pathological classifications of uterine fibroids?

A woman's uterus is the organ that bears children, so its health is very important to a woman's physical health. In daily life, the most common uterine diseases are uterine cysts, uterine fibroids, etc., and may even be uterine cancer. Therefore, every woman should pay attention to protecting her uterus, such as increasing body strength in cold weather, eating more nourishing foods, etc. So what are the pathological classifications of uterine fibroids?

There are several main types of uterine fibroids:

1. Intramural fibroids

This type of fibroid mainly grows within the muscle wall and is surrounded by the muscle layer. This type of fibroid is often the first to develop, so it is the most common, accounting for about 60-70%.

2. Subserosal fibroids

Subserous uterine fibroids grow gradually and protrude from the surface of the uterus, directly contacting the serosa layer, accounting for about 20%. If it grows between the two leaves of the broad ligament, it is called an intra-broad ligament myoma.

3. Submucosal fibroids

Intramural fibroids grow into the uterine cavity, protrude into the uterine cavity, and are in direct contact with the mucosal layer, accounting for about 10%. This tumor can cause the uterine cavity to gradually enlarge and deform, and is often connected to the uterus by a pedicle. If the pedicle is long, it can block the cervical opening or prolapse into the vagina.

4. Cervical fibroids

Cervical fibroids are a relatively rare type of fibroid that grows in the cervix of the uterus. Due to their low growth location, they can become embedded in the pelvic cavity, causing compression symptoms. Surgical removal is difficult and can easily damage the ureter and bladder. Uterine fibroids are often multiple, and the above different types of fibroids can occur simultaneously in the same uterus, which is called multiple uterine fibroids.

The above accepted types of uterine fibroids are very common. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the occurrence of uterine fibroids is due to dysfunction of the internal organs, which leads to increased secretion of female hormones in the body, so uterine fibroids are prone to frequent occurrence.

Pathological changes of uterine fibroids

If the fibroids protrude toward the surface of the uterine body and are covered by a layer of peritoneum (without a capsule), they are called "subserosal uterine fibroids". If it continues to develop toward the abdominal cavity, it may eventually be connected to the uterus by only one pedicle, becoming a pedunculated subserosal uterine fibroid. The blood vessels contained in the tumor pedicle are the only blood circulation of the tumor. If the tumor pedicle is twisted, it may necrotize and separate, and the myoma will fall off into the abdominal cavity, attaching to adjacent organs and tissues such as the greater omentum and mesentery, obtaining blood nutrition and becoming a "parasitic myoma" or "free myoma." However, it can cause partial twisting or blockage of the greater omental blood vessels, resulting in leakage, the formation of ascites and other abdominal symptoms.

Fibroids that occur on the side wall of the uterine body and extend between the two leaves of the broad ligament peritoneum are called "broad ligament fibroids" and are of the subserosal type. But there is also a type of broad ligament myoma, which is formed by the growth of smooth muscle fibers beside the uterus in the broad ligament and has nothing to do with the uterine wall. During its growth and development, broad ligament myomas often cause changes in the position and shape of pelvic organs and blood vessels, especially ureteral displacement, which makes surgical treatment difficult.