An endometrial polyp is a growth that comes from the lining of the womb.
These polyps or growths are usually benign. It is rare for them to be cancerous. They cause symptoms like irregular bleeding and heavy periods.
They do usually need to be removed using keyhole surgery. This is important in older age groups in case of pre-cancer or cancer. In women with fertility issues, they should be removed as they can prevent pregnancy.
In other women, the reasons for removal are to treat symptoms (irregular bleeding) and also because they will continue to grow if not removed.
Polyps that are cancerous usually look very different to benign polyps when we examine them during a hysteroscopy, but we do get occasional surprises. Because of this, we remove all the growth so it can be analysed in the lab afterwards.
Sometimes, polyps are discovered when doing a scan for another reason.
Research shows that ultrasound is not perfect at predicting which polyps are benign and which are cancerous, so most women, especially older women will opt for removal. Because hysteroscopy is such a straightforward procedure, there is little point in waiting and worrying about leaving a polyp, when they can be removed so easily. Simple day case surgery in Glengarry hospital, Perth is all that is needed.
Sometimes polyps occur lower down in the uterus (womb). They can grow inside the cervix (the neck of the womb), where they are called endocervical polyps. Again, they are usually removed if discovered here.
In younger women, smaller polyps can sometimes be suppressed by using a high-dose combined oral contraceptive for a month or two. However, it would then be removed by hysteroscopy.
Following removal the chances of recurrence are slim, particularly if the polyp has been resected from the base with the hysteroscope. However, other polyps may grow at a later date.
If the periods are heavy and no further pregnancies are wanted, an endometrial ablation can be done at the same time as the hysteroscopy & polyp removal. This is very convenient and adds little to the recovery time.