DIFFUSE LEIOMYOMATOSIS OF THE UTERUS

The clinical and pathological features of four cases of the rare entit y diffuse leiomyomatosis of the uterus are described. The patients, wh o ranged in age from 28 to 35 years, presented with a six month to ten year history of abnormal uterine bleeding, dysmenorrhoea and an enlar ged uterus. Hysterectomy in each case revealed a symmetrically enlarge d uterus containing numerous small ill-defined leiomyomatous nodules, On microscopic examination the nodules were composed of compact fascic les and interweaving bundles of plump uniform benign smooth muscle cel ls. The nodules blended with each other and merged imperceptibly with the surrounding less cellular normal myometrium. The four patients are alive and well without further treatment. The follow-up period ranged from six months to twelve years.