Review: risk of parasitic myoma post laparoscopic morcellation

(HealthDay)—For women undergoing laparoscopic morcellation, the subsequent incidence of parasitic myomas is low, but discussion with patients should include this possibility, according to a review published online July 29 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

Julia F. Van der Meulen, from the Màxima Medical Centre in Veldhoven, Netherlands, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to examine the incidence and risk factors for the development of parasitic myoma after laparoscopic morcellation.

The researchers reviewed 44 studies involving 69 women (mean age, 40.8 years) diagnosed with parasitic myomas after laparoscopic morcellation. The median time from surgery to diagnosis was 48.0 months, and there was a mean of 2.9 parasitic myomas. After laparoscopic morcellation, the overall incidence of parasitic myomas was 0.12 to 0.95 percent.

"Although the incidence is relatively low, it is important to discuss the risk of parasitic myoma after laparoscopic morcellation with women and balance towards alternative treatment options," the authors write. "The duration of steroid exposure after laparoscopic morcellation might be a risk factor for development of parasitic myomas."