Imagine finding out you need a hysterectomy. What would worry you the most? Complications during the procedure? A large scar? Not being able to return to normal activities for at least six weeks? Fortunately, minimally invasive procedures are putting many women’s fears to rest.

According to Shamim Patel, MD, an OB/GYN with Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, laparoscopic hysterectomy is an alternative for women who need an abdominal hysterectomy. “From decreased pain to a faster recovery, laparoscopic hysterectomy is a great option for patients,” she says. 

Why a hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this is the second most common surgical procedure among reproductive-aged women. For many people, this is the best way to get rid of uterine or cervical cancer (in which case the cervix is also removed). A hysterectomy may also be a treatment option for other uterine conditions, such as:

• Uterine fibroids
• Endometriosis
• Uterine prolapse
• Pelvic pain
• Abnormal bleeding

“For these patients, a hysterectomy can treat their symptoms and give them a better quality of life,” Dr. Patel says.

What’s the procedure like?
According to Dr. Patel, the majority of patients who need an abdominal hysterectomy are candidates for the laparoscopic procedure. During surgery, surgeons make several tiny incisions in the lower abdomen. Through these incisions they insert a specialized camera that shows the patient’s uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries on a video monitor. “This gives us excellent visualization without having to open up the body,” Dr. Patel says.

Using a laparoscope, surgeons detach the uterus and remove it though the vagina or by way of a half-inch incision, or smaller, on the lower abdomen. “Laparoscopy allows us to make as few cuts as possible, which is why blood loss is so minimal,” Dr. Patel says. In all, patients are in surgery anywhere between 39 and 72 minutes.

Differences in recovery
Although patients who undergo laparoscopic hysterectomy can expect some bloating and discomfort, most are able to leave the hospital within 24 hours of having the procedure and return to their normal activities within two weeks. With an open, abdominal hysterectomy, patients stay in the hospital up to four days and take six weeks to recover fully.

At Adventist Midwest Health, women can find several types of hysterectomy, including laparoscopy. “We have the latest equipment and the physicians who are able to use these advancements,” Dr. Patel says. “Women can be confident they’re getting all the benefits of the newest laparoscopic technology within their communities.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at 866-533-7968.