Young girl with abdominal pain went to the doctor and discovered a 2.1kg tumor

(Dan Tri) - The 28-year-old woman said she had a very regular menstrual cycle and did not experience any gynecological symptoms. She subjectively did not have regular check-ups until she had abdominal cramps in the lower abdomen, and went to the doctor to discover a large fibroid mass in the uterus.

Asymptomatic uterine fibroids: Accidental discovery during gastroscopy

In 2023, during a gastrointestinal examination due to a feeling of bloating and prolonged indigestion, Ms. NTMH (1997, unmarried) was prescribed a gastroscopy. The digestive indicators showed no obvious abnormalities, but through a combined abdominal ultrasound, the doctor discovered an image of a uterine fibroid measuring about 71mm.

What is special about this case is that the patient did not have any typical gynecological symptoms. Her menstrual cycle was regular, no menorrhagia, no menstrual cramps. She even maintained a healthy lifestyle with a diet rich in green vegetables and regular gym workouts. The abdominal distension is considered a sign of common digestive disorders, leading to subjectivity.

After the discovery, Ms. H. went for a check-up several times, and found that the tumor did not grow any further, so she postponed treatment. Two years later, in August, she began to feel something unusual: her lower abdomen was hard and bulging, she had pain in the lower abdomen, and she could feel a firm mass. At this time, she went to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Thu Cuc TCI International General Hospital for examination.

MRI image (above) and ultrasound image below, giant tumor occupies the patient's entire abdomen (Photo: TCI).

The results of clinical examination combined with paraclinical (ultrasound, MRI) showed that the tumor had increased in size rapidly, reaching 250 x 200mm, equivalent to a 7-month pregnancy - a rare size in young people who have never given birth.

Completely remove 2.1kg fibroid and preserve patient's fertility

As soon as the results were available, Ms. H was consulted and assigned to have open surgery to remove the uterine fibroid. The surgery was personally performed by Dr. Nguyen Van Ha - Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Thu Cuc TCI International General Hospital. This is one of the doctors with a lot of experience in handling complicated obstetrics and gynecology cases, having handled many difficult cases of uterine and ovarian fibroid removal. Even complicated cases of fibroid removal surgery in pregnant women were successfully handled by the doctor, ensuring safety for both the mother and the fetus.

Doctor Nguyen Van Ha and his team carefully and meticulously performed each procedure, making every effort to preserve the patient's fertility (Photo: TCI).

The patient was anesthetized with endotracheal intubation and underwent laparotomy in a modern one-way sterile operating room. The tumor was up to 250mm in diameter, weighed 2,100 grams, had many lobes, was attached to the small intestine and colon, and was successfully removed by doctors and the uterine fibroid removed.

“Fortunately, the patient’s uterus and ovaries were intact and undamaged. This is a very important factor because the patient is not married and has not given birth. We have made every effort to preserve the patient’s fertility,” Dr. Nguyen Van Ha shared.

After removing the large fibroid mass from the abdomen, the team continued to examine the intestinal loops, abdomen, uterus and adnexa. The results showed no abnormal lesions, no bleeding, and no impact on surrounding organs. The patient was transfused with 1 unit of packed red blood cells (350ml) to ensure a quick recovery.

The fibroid tumor has a diameter of 250 mm and weighs 2,100 grams (Photo: TCI).

After only 5 days in the hospital, Ms. H recovered well and was discharged. Thanks to her good physical condition, diligent exercise and healthy diet, she quickly regained her health and optimism after the major surgery. However, she also shared: "I really regret being too subjective. If I had gone for a check-up and monitoring earlier, perhaps the tumor would not have developed to this extent."

Dr. Nguyen Van Ha commented that this is a typical case showing that uterine fibroids can progress silently, without obvious symptoms, especially in young women. Many people only discover it when the tumor is large, causing compression or complications.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Ha, uterine fibroids are a common disease, but if detected early, the patient may only need laparoscopic surgery to gently remove the tumor, preserving the integrity of the uterus and fertility. However, if delayed, the tumor grows large as in the above case, causing uterine deformation, requiring open surgery, the treatment process is more complicated and the recovery time is also longer.

In many cases, fibroids grow excessively, invade or compress nearby organs, and doctors are forced to remove the entire uterus to ensure life safety, which means the patient permanently loses the ability to conceive naturally. In addition, complications such as fibroid necrosis or infection can also seriously threaten health if not promptly intervened.

Therefore, proactively having a gynecological examination every 6 months is the simplest but most effective way for women to protect their health and motherhood.

With a team of leading obstetricians, who have worked for many years at major hospitals such as the Central Obstetrics Hospital, Hanoi Obstetrics Hospital..., along with a system of modern equipment, thoughtful post-operative care services, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Thu Cuc TCI International General Hospital has become a reliable choice for many women in the treatment of obstetrics and gynecology diseases... For consultation and appointment, contact 1900 558 892 for more information at https://benhvienthucuc.vn/.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/dau-quan-bung-co-gai-tre-di-kham-phat-hien-khoi-u-toi-21kg-20250818215251259.htm