The Diffusely Enlarged Uterus

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This study is based on 52 diffusely enlarged, non-tumor-bearing uteri examined in a surgical pathologic laboratory. In addition, one atrophic and one pregnant uterus were studied and compared to 5 normal uteri as controls. Clinical abstracts were prepd. including menstrual and obstetrical features. Histologic studies included Masson and Weigert-Van Gieson preparations. Connective tissue extractions on portions of fresh, wet myometrium yielded a value of approx. 6% by weight in uteri with essentially normal architecture. Muscle fiber diams. were measured by projection of Masson-stained sections. under oil immersion. The 5 normal control uteri were found to have an avg. fiber diam. of 5.3 [mu]. The diffusely enlarged uteri, even when fibrosis was present due to subinvolution, pelvic inflammation, or congestive changes, were found to have fiber diams. of 5.82 [mu] in a group with menorrhagia and 5.62 [mu] in a group without excessive bleeding. 28 diffusely enlarged uteri had essentially normal architecture with normal proportion of connective tissue and muscle except for the muscle fiber hypertrophy. Since the majority of these uteri came from patients in the premenopausal and menopausal years (35-50 yrs.), the authors postulate that the basic cause of enlargement is muscle fiber hypertrophy secondary to quantitative or qualitative alteration in endocrine balance. The term menopausal myometrial hypertrophy is suggested for the uteri not showing secondary fibrosis from subinvolution, stasis or adnexal inflammation.