Fibroid tumors of the uterus originate in its muscular walls. These tumors, as we shall observe, are composed of muscle and connective tissues; hence the names myofibroma and firobromyoma, the prefix designating the more abundant tissue. Uterine tumors composed exclusively of muscular tissue rarely occur.
PATHOLOGY.
Fibroids may be classified from the position they maintain, viz : subserous, interstitial and submucous. As a rule they grow very slowly, may be single or multiple and attain various sizes from a pea to 140 lbs. "Dr. Hunter of New York removed one weighing 140 pounds, which was 55 pounds more than the woman weighed after operation."The subserous variety develops beneath the peritoneal covering of the uterus, usually, invested by loose cellular tissue, blood-vessels of small size that connect the tumor with the capsule; and, should dense adhesions occur between the capsule and the tumor, they have been caused by inflammatory processes. Large pedunculated tumors may extend into the cul-de-sac and become adherent to the rectum and surrounding tissues, and may produce" obstruction to the bowel.The submucous variety lies just beneath the mucous membrane of the uterus, usually causing a hypertrophy