Weight not a factor in fibroid surgery

DETROIT, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers say they have determined a patient's weight is not a factor in achieving successful results from fibroid surgery.

Researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital say they found obese patients are no more likely to have post-operative complications than those of average weight when undergoing robotic myomectomy surgery.

Myomectomy is a procedure that removes uterine fibroids, leaving the uterus intact and preserving the ability for future pregnancies.

"Performing laparoscopic myomectomy on an obese patient can present difficulties for the most experienced gynecologic surgeon," Dr. David Eisenstein, co-author of the study, said. "However, this challenge can now be overcome with the assistance of surgical robots that provide the surgeon with three-dimensional images, improved instrument dexterity and better precision."

The study followed 77 patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy from January 2005 through November 2008 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. The researchers found obesity was not a risk factor for poor surgical outcome in patients who had undergone the robotic myomectomy procedure.

The study was presented last week in Orlando, Fla., during the 38th Global Congress of Minimally Invasive Gynecology.