Between 2012-2020, Black, Hispanic Patients Less Likely to Have Minimally Invasive Fibroid Surgery

Fibroid Surgery: They are also less likely to have surgery performed by a gynecologic surgeon with subspecialty training in minimally invasive techniques.

Black and Hispanic patients are significantly less likely than White patients to undergo minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for uterine fibroids, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology.

Rebecca J. Schneyer, M.D., from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and colleagues assessed whether MIS for uterine myomas is used differentially based on race and ethnicity. The analysis included data from 1,311 patients undergoing hysterectomy or myomectomy for uterine myomas between March 15, 2015, and March 14, 2020.

The researchers found disparities in surgeon type based on race and ethnicity, with 59.8 percent of White patients undergoing surgery with a minimally invasive gynecologic surgery subspecialist versus 44 percent of Black patients and 45.7 percent of Hispanic patients.

Compared with White patients, Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to undergo MIS overall (adjusted odds ratio, 0.33 and 0.44, respectively). MIS hysterectomies were less likely among Black and Hispanic patients than among white patients (adjusted odds ratio, 0.33 and 0.35, respectively).

For myomectomies, no significant differences were observed in rates of MIS based on race and ethnicity, nor differences by race and ethnicity for major or minor complications overall.

“This is an important area of study because we know that Black women are disproportionately affected by fibroids,” a coauthor said. “This population is more likely to have larger and more numerous fibroids, earlier onset of symptoms, more severe menstrual bleeding, and a greater likelihood of needing surgery.”

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the medical technology industry.

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