New hysterectomy procedure at Blessing gets positive reviews
When Melanie Lilly found out she had to have a hysterectomy, she was elated to learn that her doctor offered a procedure that involved less pain and a quicker recovery than more traditional methods.
On June 23, Lilly was the first patient to receive a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy at Blessing Hospital.
"It was a piece of cake," said Lilly, who was discharged from hospital the next day and already was working from home just three days afterward.
"My job requires me to get back to it as soon as possible. When we were talking about the best way to go about just taking the uterus, we talked about this procedure. I thought, 'This has got to be easy,' and it certainly was."
The minimally invasive procedure involves a half-inch incision at the bellybutton and one-inch incisions on each side of the bellybutton. The surgeon inserts a slender instrument called a laparoscope, or telescope, and works by viewing video screens.
The uterus is removed by using a device called a morcellator.
"The morcellator cuts the uterus in small pieces inside the body so it can be removed through the small incision," said Dr. J. Hoon Kim, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Quincy Medical Group who performed Lilly's hysterectomy.
Kim says the cervix, the opening to the uterus, is not removed.
"The hardest part of a hysterectomy is taking out the cervix. In this, we leave the cervix behind," he said. "Some studies have shown that leaving the cervix behind is good for pelvic support, especially for the bladder, and it's also better for sexual function."
OB/GYNs already had been performing laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomies at Blessing, where the laparoscope is used for part of the procedure.
"Now we do everything with the laparoscope. It's faster and less painful, which means a faster recovery," Kim said. "The smaller the uterus, the easier and faster it can be done."
The procedure can be done in 20 to 40 minutes compared to the 60 to 90 minutes it takes for a traditional hysterectomy. The patient typically stays in the hospital overnight, compared to one to three days for a vaginal hysterectomy or five to six days for an open abdominal hysterectomy.
Kim says as local OB/GYNs become more experienced with the procedure, it could be done on an outpatient basis.
"The one I did last week, the uterus was eight times the normal size, and it would have normally been a two- to three-day stay. I kept her overnight, but she could have gone home that day," Kim said.
Not all patients are candidates for the laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy, and some may still require the more traditional vaginal hysterectomy or abdominal hysterectomy.
For example, Kim says he wouldn't use the laparoscopic procedure if the uterus is being removed because of cancer, if the patient has prolapse of the uterus or if the patient wanted the cervix removed.
Betty Mayfield of Monroe City, Mo., says she's glad she was a candidate for the new procedure.
"It worked out real well," she said. "He (Dr. Kim) said it would be less pain and less downtime. I've had some pain, but really not that bad. I've talked with other people (who have had a traditional hysterectomy) and it's quite a bit of difference."
Lilly says she plans to return to work on Monday, just 17 days after her surgery. Recovery time for other methods ranges from four to six weeks.
"The minimal pain and quick recovery are two big advantages," she said. |
