Hysterectomy “Hot Sheet”

Although getting rid of a benigh uterine polyp is a good idea, having the entire uterus removed (by undergoing hysterectomy) could be an “overreaction,” according to an article by Dr. Bobbie Gostout of the Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Gostout says:

The preferred means for removing uterine polyps is through the outpatient procedures of hysteroscopy, curettage (often referred to as “D&C,” for dilation and curettage), or, increasingly, the two methods in combination.

In a hysteroscopy, the doctor inserts a thin, flexible, lighted scope (hysteroscope) through the vagina into the uterus. This technology not only allows the doctor to examine the uterus for the presence of polyps but also makes it possible to remove them at the same time, as long as they’re not too large. He or she does the excising with tiny cutting instruments inserted through the hysteroscope.

The time-honored D&C is still the method of choice, especially for larger polyps.

Here’s the Q&A on uterine polyps and here’s a more comprehensive article.

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Are uterine fibroids the reason you’re considering a hysterectomy? If so, you’ll want to learn more about a relatively new treatment that uses soundwaves to destory the fibroids.

The technique — called “focused ultrasound ablation” — combines two well-established medical technologies, ultrasound and MRI.

Recovery time is minimal. Think two days, compared to 6-8 weks with a total abdominal hysterectomy.

Because the technique is so new, side effects are still unknown, and one-third of the women who undergo the procedure come back for a second session later.

For more info:

• See this article by Chicago’s ABC7
• Browse the system developer’s site

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Gosh, just when I thought that robots that vacuum (like Roomba) were the ultimate in robotic technology….

Take a look at this: a 1,200-pound, million dollar robot that assists at laparoscopic hysterectomies.

Out of 600,000 hysterectomies performed each year in the U.S., just one out of 10 are laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomies (LAVH) — a much less invasive procedure than the TAH (total abdominal hysterectomy) performed on the majority of patients.

One of the key reasons why more women don’t receive the less invasive procedure is because of a long and difficult learning curve for surgeons.

The da Vinci(R) Surgical System hopes to remedy that difficulty. Robot-assisted surgery offers surgeons a way to perform finely controlled movements, while operating through a magnified 3-D view of the surgery site.

The robot’s camera and instruments are inserted in three or four inch-long slits in the abdomen (compared to a single 6-7-inch opening for a TAH). Doctors say that using the system is “like playing a video game.”

According to the system’s manufacturer, potential patient benefits include:

• Shorter hospital stay
• Less pain and scarring
• Less risk of wound infection
• Less blood loss and fewer transfusions
• Faster recovery
• Quicker return to normal activities

You can watch short videos on the system here, here and here.

So what do you think? Does robotic surgery make sense to you?

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