Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery
Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery is an alternative to traditional abdominal surgery for gynecologic conditions. It is performed using a laparoscope or hysteroscope, which are thin surgical instruments that are inserted through tiny incisions into the abdomen or vagina and uterus. The instruments include a camera and a light, which allows the surgeon to view the internal organs on a monitor and perform the necessary procedure.
Minimally invasive surgical techniques
Many obstetrics/gynecology physicians at North Shore Medical Center employ minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat conditions such as:
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Endometriosis
- Infertility
- Incontinence
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic pain
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Uterine fibroids
- Undesired fertility
The benefits of minimally invasive surgery are a faster recovery, less pain, smaller incisions, less blood loss and surgical infection, shorter hospital stay, and earlier return to normal activities. Certain patients can be treated in the physician’s office without the need for general anesthesia or a hospital admission. For those patients who do have their procedure at the hospital, many are able to go home the day of the surgery or the next morning.
NSMC’s gynecologic surgery program offers the following minimally invasive procedures:
- Hysteroscopic removal of fibroids
- Hysteroscopic sterilization
- Laparoscopic hysterectomy
- Laparoscopic myomectomy (removal of fibroids)
- Laparoscopic removal of endometriosis
- Laparoscopic removal of ovarian cysts
- Laparoscopic endometrial ablation (for heavy menstrual bleeding)
- Lysis of adhesions (dissolving scar tissue)
