Gretchen was admitted this Tuesday morning (20) for surgery to remove her uterus, due to a condition called adenomyosis .
On social media, she shared the moment in which she was preparing for the operation, and highlighted: “I am always encouraging women to take care of themselves. Take care of yourself, it’s very important.”
“I'm going to have this surgery because I took care of myself, I did all the follow-ups. It’s benign adenomyosis and I’m very happy to be able to take care of myself”, added the singer.
According to data from the Unified Health System (SUS), the hysterectomy — surgery to remove the uterus — represents the second most performed procedure among women of reproductive age, surpassed only by cesarean section.
Although it is a permanent solution for adenomyosis, hysterectomy is not the only possible treatment. A CNN listened to gynecologist André Vinícius to better understand the condition, how to diagnose the problem and how to treat it.
What is adenomyosis?
The uterus is divided into three layers: the serosa, the layer that covers it; the myometrium, an intermediate muscular layer; and the endometrium, the layer that lines the innermost part of the uterus.
According to André Vinícius, an adenomyoma is formed when “the endometrial tissue ends up in the myometrium, that is, the tissue that lines the uterus ends up in the uterine muscles”.
In asymptomatic cases, adenomyosis is usually diagnosed through imaging tests, such as an ultrasound.
“Through the examination, it is possible to identify an irregular myometrium, or that the uterus is larger than normal, as the infiltration of the endometrial tissue of the myometrium can increase the volume of the uterus, which was the case with Gretchen”, explained the gynecologist.
What are the symptoms of adenomyosis?
In cases where symptoms are present, the three most common are:
- infertility;
- more intense menstrual cramps;
- and increased menstrual flow and menstrual period days.
According to André Vinicius, “the gold standard test to identify this disease is magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis, which has a very high positive predictive value, that is, it has a high accuracy rate”.
How to treat adenomyosis?
In symptomatic patients, treatment consists mainly of controlling symptoms.
“For patients who have very intense cramping, it is possible to adjust medications to control this cramping. In patients with abnormal uterine bleeding, it is possible to perform hormonal blockade, which is generally the most recommended treatment for adenomyosis”, explained the doctor.
“And as this disease is located inside the uterus, the IUD medicated with levonorgestrel has a very interesting action, as it reduces the patient’s menstrual cramps and reduces the flow as well,” he added.
André Vinícius highlights the importance of hormonal blockade for treatment, “as well as combining it with a healthier lifestyle, with regular physical activity, a light and balanced diet and stress control”.
As for surgical solutions, hysterectomy is the most drastic, but it represents a definitive treatment for women suffering from the condition. “For patients who want to get pregnant, for example, if they have focal adenomyosis, sometimes it is even possible to perform local surgery to remove that focus,” explained the doctor.
Source: CNN Brasil
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