A Text-book of Diseases of WomenPenrose, Charles B. (Charles Bingham)
Science
A Text-book of Diseases of Women
Penrose, Charles B. (Charles Bingham)
Women -- Diseases
The tumors are found to be continuous with the uterus and movable with
it. If the tumor is sufficiently large to be grasped by an assistant,
who draws it up or to either side, it will be found that the motion
is communicated to the vaginal cervix. The cervix is often very hard,
and may have been dragged upward to such an extent that it cannot be
reached by the vaginal finger; or it may project from the rounded
surface of the tumor like the nipple on the breast.
The hard, non-fluctuating character of the tumor may usually be
determined by bimanual examination. A sensation resembling that
of fluctuation may be elicited in the edematous fibroid, and true
fluctuation is, of course, present in the cystic variety.
The uterine sound shows the increased length and the irregularity of
the uterine cavity. The sound is not often necessary for diagnosis.
It is useful, however, in the case of small interstitial fibroids. It
will be remembered that uterine enlargement is one of the most usual
symptoms of fibroid tumor.
The presence in the wall of the uterus of a hard nodule or of an area
of induration, with a decided increase in the length of the uterine
cavity (three to four inches), is strong evidence of fibroid tumor.
Those fibroid tumors which cause symmetrical uterine hypertrophy
without any irregularity of surface are sometimes difficult of
diagnosis. They have been mistaken for the pregnant uterus. The
reverse mistake has also very frequently been made, and the woman has
been subjected to celiotomy for fibroid tumor when a normal pregnancy
alone was present. The differential diagnosis between fibroid and
pregnancy is usually not difficult. In making such a differential
diagnosis it must be remembered that in some cases of pregnancy the
menstrual periods continue during the early months or throughout the
course of pregnancy, and that irregular bleeding may occur during
pregnancy; also, on the other hand, that the symptoms of menorrhagia
and metrorrhagia may be absent in the case of fibroid tumors. Mammary
changes, nausea, and pigmentation of the skin may occur with fibroid
tumors as with other diseases of the uterus or the ovaries, and
resemble the similar phenomena of pregnancy. The bluish discoloration
of the ostium vaginæ, the soft cervix, the pulsation of the vaginal
vessels, the movements of the child, and the fetal heart-sounds are
absent in fibroid tumors. The recent history of the tumor and its
typical increase in size are observed in pregnancy.
In the event of doubt the case should be watched for a few months until
the diagnosis becomes clear. Fibroid tumors are of slow growth, and
such delay is usually not dangerous.
If the fibroid tumor is complicated with pregnancy, the diagnosis
becomes more difficult. This complication is not an unusual one, and
should always be borne in mind.
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