In April 2010, Augustus had surgery at Fairview Southdale Hospital to remove fibroids, a surgery that both her mother and grandmother had undergone.

The surgery either traditional open (large incision) or laparoscopic (small incision) is commonly used to treat persistent vaginal bleeding or to remove benign fibroids and painful endometriosis tissue.

So when her doctor advised surgery to remove uterine fibroids that were causing cramps and heavy bleeding during her period, Weston went looking for an anesthesia alternative.

Hysteroscopy can be used to remove fibroids on the inner wall of the uterus that have not grown deep into the uterine wall.

When incisions have been made into the uterine wall to remove fibroids, future pregnancy may be affected.

Laparotomy is used to remove large fibroids, many fibroids, or fibroids that have grown deep into the uterine wall.

A laparotomic myomectomy (also known as an open or abdominal myomectomy) is the most invasive surgical procedure to remove fibroids.

A myomectomy to remove fibroids, which you say is "major surgery and demands a surgeon with considerable skill," is a basic procedure that any competent gynecologist is adequately trained to perform.

To treat uterine fibroids, surgery can be used to remove fibroids only (myomectomy) or to remove the entire uterus (hysterectomy).

There are several other ways of removing fibroids or killing fibroid tissue, including using extreme cold (cryomyolysis), or laser (myolysis).