Dr. John C. Lipman, MD, from the Atlanta Fibroid Center, attended the Black Girl Digital Awards on Nov. 5, 2023. He shared his expertise on non-surgical fibroid removal options, emphasizing the importance of women knowing all their treatment options. Lipman is recognized globally for his experience in UFE and stressed that this is particularly crucial for Black women, who are disproportionately affected by uterine fibroids.
Lipman opened up to rolling out, explaining how the alternate method works.
What other options do women have when it comes to removing uterine fibroids?
Often, women suffering from fibroids consult their gynecologist and only hear about surgical options, either myomectomy or hysterectomy. However, we perform a completely non-surgical and outpatient procedure at the Atlanta Fibroid Center. We’ve been doing it for over 25 years, but you’ll rarely hear about it because gynecologists are surgeons and they prefer to operate. We’re trying to spread the word that you don’t have to have a hysterectomy regardless of what your doctor says. It’s an option, but it shouldn’t be the last resort. The procedure we perform, Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), is outpatient, non-surgical, and allows you to go home with just a bandaid at the top of your leg. You get to keep all your parts and can even have children afterward.
How does UFE work?
We access the uterine arteries one at a time under X-ray guidance, steering a tiny catheter, like a piece of spaghetti, into each artery. These arteries branch like a tree, getting smaller. The fibroids are like the leaves of the tree. I know the size of these small peripheral branches and can block them. Without a blood supply, all the fibroids die, but the uterus stays alive because the main trunk and branches remain open. As the fibroids die, they soften and shrink, and the woman’s symptoms go away. It’s completely outpatient; you go home the same day with a bandaid. You can even have children afterward, but unfortunately, you need to know about UFE.
Why do we need more events like the Black Girl Digital Awards to spread this information?
You have to be your own advocate. We tell this to patients all the time because many women go to their doctor with symptoms of fibroids and are ignored. They have heavy, crime scene-like periods, and the doctor will say, “Well, we measured your hemoglobin, and it’s a bit low, but it’s not anything we want to treat.” If your period is too heavy, regardless of your hemoglobin level, it’s abnormal and should be treated. If you feel like you’re being ignored or dismissed, find another doctor. There are lots of good doctors in Atlanta. No one should feel like they’re not being listened to or ignored.
