Uterine Polyps: Symptoms and Treatment

Uterine polyps are usually benign growths of the uterine lining. In medicine, they are also referred to as endometrial polyps. They can occur singly or in multiples and vary in size.

Many polyps initially cause no symptoms and are discovered incidentally during a gynecological examination. Depending on their size and location, they can, however, lead to bleeding disorders or infertility.

What symptoms do uterine polyps cause?

Not all uterine polyps cause symptoms. If symptoms occur, they can vary depending on the size and location of the polyps.

Common Symptoms

• Intermenstrual bleeding
• Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding
• Spotting
• Bleeding after menopause
• Infertility
• Rarely, lower abdominal pain

How do uterine polyps develop?

The exact cause is not fully understood. It is believed that hormonal changes – particularly the influence of estrogen – promote the growth of the uterine lining, leading to the development of uterine polyps.

The risk may be increased by:

• Age between 40 and 60 years
• Hormonal changes
• Overweight
• Certain hormone therapies

How are uterine polyps diagnosed?

Diagnosis includes:

• Gynecological examination
• Transvaginal ultrasound
• Hysteroscopy (uterine endoscopy)
• Histological examination after removal

Hysteroscopy allows uterine polyps to be directly visualized and often removed in the same procedure.

What treatment options are available?

Not every polyp needs to be removed immediately. Small, asymptomatic uterine polyps can be monitored depending on the findings.

In cases of symptoms, abnormal bleeding, infertility, or unclear findings, hysteroscopic removal is often recommended.

Laser Therapy for Uterine Polyps

With the HoLA® technology (Hysteroscopic Laser Ablation), uterine polyps can be removed minimally invasively and precisely.

A fine laser fiber is guided to the polyp through a hysteroscope. The tissue can be precisely ablated under direct vision, while the surrounding healthy tissue is largely preserved.

Depending on the individual findings, the treatment can often be performed on an outpatient basis.

What are the advantages of laser therapy?

Advantages at a glance

• Precise removal of polyps
• Minimally invasive procedure
• Preservation of surrounding tissue
• Possible outpatient treatment
• Short treatment duration
• No skin incisions required

After the treatment

After the removal of uterine polyps, slight bleeding or cramp-like symptoms may occur. In most cases, patients can resume their daily activities shortly after. The individual follow-up care depends on the findings and the recommendations of the treating gynecologist.