Post-Uterine Fibroid Surgery Abdominal Scar Tissue: Causes & Management

Hardness in the abdomen after a surgery, such as uterine fibroid removal, is due to creation of scar tissue. Adhesions are areas of hardened tissue that may form in places other than the incision. They are areas of scar tissue that can occur when tissue is exposed to a dry environment during surgery. A surgeon can take preventative measures to decrease the incidence of adhesions by keeping tissue moist during surgery or performing surgery laproscopically instead of an open abdominal surgery.

Instructions

• 1

  Follow the instructions provided by your surgeon after uterine fibroid surgery. Following directions for wound care reduces scarring.

• 2

  Discuss your concerns regarding hardened areas of the abdomen with your physician. He may give you injections of steroids or hyaluronidase to break down the scar tissue beneath the skin.

• 3

  Visit a massage therapist. Massage can manually soften and break up scar tissue. It may take many visits to obtain results.

• 4

  Visit an acupuncturist. The acupuncturist will insert acupuncture needles into the hardened tissue to promote circulation in the area and break down scar tissue. An acupuncturist may also recommend Chinese herbal remedies such as Major Rhubarb Combination, which is thought to break down adhesions by improving blood flow, according to the Institute of Traditional Medicine.

• 5

  Discuss surgical options with your physician if the scar tissue persists. The surgeon will remove the adhesions, but there is a chance that after surgery the adhesions may reappear.