Hospital Procedures, Surgeries and Services

Services: Hospital Surgical

Hospital Procedures & Services

Our board-certified physicians perform several medical and surgical procedures, making it a safe and positive experience for our patients.

Our board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners are committed to serving you, the whole woman, through every age and stage. Their wide range of specialized training and expertise provides patients with the best medical care possible.

Our team has a combined 50 years of experience and a shared goal of providing every patient who walks through our doors the best possible care.

Our team uses minimally invasive surgical techniques to provide a quicker and less painful recovery.

Hospital Procedures and Services

Endometrial ablation destroys a thin layer of the lining of the uterus. Menstrual bleeding does not stop but is reduced to normal or lighter levels. If ablation does not control heavy bleeding, further treatment or surgery may be needed.

Why is endometrial ablation done?

The lining of the uterus—the endometrium—is shed by bleeding each month during menstruation. Some women have heavy bleeding or bleeding that lasts longer than usual.

Endometrial ablation is used to treat many causes of heavy bleeding. In most cases, women with heavy bleeding are treated first with medication. Endometrial ablation may be used if heavy bleeding cannot be controlled with medication.

Endometrial ablation does not involve the removal of the uterus, and it does not affect a woman’s hormone levels.

How is endometrial ablation done?

Ablation is a short procedure. Some techniques are done as outpatient surgery, meaning you can go home the same day. Others are done in the office of your ob-gyn. Your cervix may be dilated (opened) before the procedure. Dilation is done with medication or a series of rods that gradually increase in size.

There are no incisions (cuts) involved in ablation.

The following methods are those most commonly used to perform endometrial ablation:

Radiofrequency—A probe is inserted into the uterus through the cervix. The probe’s tip expands into a mesh-like device that sends radiofrequency energy into the lining. The energy and heat destroy the endometrial tissue while suction is applied to remove it.
Freezing—A thin probe is inserted into the uterus. The tip of the probe freezes the uterine lining. Ultrasound is used to help guide the procedure.
Heated fluid—Fluid is inserted into the uterus through a hysteroscope. The fluid is heated and stays in the uterus for about 10 minutes. The heat destroys the lining.
Heated balloon—A balloon is placed in the uterus with a hysteroscope. Heated fluid is put into the balloon. The balloon expands until its edges touch the uterine lining. The heat destroys the endometrium.
Microwave energy—A special probe is inserted into the uterus through the cervix. The probe applies microwave energy to the uterine lining, which destroys it.
Electrosurgery—Electrosurgery is done with a resectoscope. A resectoscope is a thin telescope that is inserted into the uterus. It has an electrical wire loop, roller-ball, or spiked-ball tip that destroys the uterine lining. This method usually is done in an operating room with general anesthesia. It is not as frequently used as the other methods.

What should I expect after the procedure?

Recovery takes about 2 hours, depending on the type of pain relief used. The type of pain relief used depends on the ablation procedure, where it is done, and your wishes.

Some minor side effects are common after endometrial ablation:

Cramping, like menstrual cramps, for 1 to 2 days
Thin, watery discharge mixed with blood can last a few weeks. The discharge may be heavy for 2 to 3 days after the procedure.
Frequent urination for 24 hours
Nausea

Ask your ob-gyn when you can exercise, have sex, or use tampons. In most cases, you can expect to return to work or your normal activities within a day or two.

It would help if you had follow-up visits to check your progress. It may take several months before you experience the full effects of ablation.

Hysterectomy is surgery to remove the uterus. It is a very common type of surgery for women in the United States. Removing your uterus means that you can no longer get pregnant.

Hysterectomy is used to treat many women’s health conditions. Some of these conditions include

uterine fibroids (this is the most common reason for hysterectomy)
endometriosis
pelvic support problems (such as uterine prolapse)
abnormal uterine bleeding
chronic pelvic pain
gynecologic cancer

There are different types of hysterectomy:

Total hysterectomy—The uterus and cervix are removed.
Supracervical hysterectomy—The upper part of the uterus is removed, but the cervix is left in place.
Radical hysterectomy—The uterus and cervix are removed, and structures around the uterus. This surgery may be recommended if cancer is diagnosed or suspected.

If needed, the ovaries and fallopian tubes may be removed if abnormal (for example, they are affected by endometriosis). This procedure is called

salpingo-oophorectomy if both tubes and ovaries are removed
salpingectomy if just the fallopian tubes are removed
oophorectomy if just the ovaries are removed

What should I expect after having a hysterectomy?

You can expect to have some pain for the first few days after the surgery. You will be given medication to relieve pain. You will have bleeding and discharge from your vagina for several weeks. Sanitary pads can be used after the surgery. Constipation is common after most hysterectomies. Some women have temporary problems with emptying the bladder after a hysterectomy. Other effects may be emotional. It is not uncommon to have an emotional response to a hysterectomy. You may feel sad that you can no longer bear children, or you may be relieved that your former symptoms are gone.

Follow your surgeon’s instructions. Be sure to get plenty of rest, but you also need to move around as often as possible. Take short walks and gradually increase the distance you walk every day. You should not lift heavy objects until your surgeon says you can. Do not put anything in your vagina during the first six weeks. That includes douching, having sex, and using tampons.

After you recover, you should continue to see your obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) for routine gynecologic exams and general health care. Depending on the reason for your hysterectomy, you may still need pelvic exams and cervical cancer screening.

Many surgeons perform robotic-assisted surgery using a da Vinci system because it extends the capabilities of their eyes and hands.

Your surgeon is with you in the operating room, seated at the da Vinci system console. The console gives your surgeon control of their instruments to perform your surgery.

The da Vinci vision system delivers 3D high-definition views, giving your surgeon a crystal-clear view of the surgical area that is magnified ten times what the human eye sees.

Your surgeon uses tiny instruments that move like a human hand but with a far greater range of motion. The system’s built-in tremor-filtration technology helps your surgeon move each instrument with smooth precision.

The pelvic organs include the vagina, uterus, bladder, urethra, and rectum. These organs are held in place by muscles of the pelvic floor. Layers of connective tissue also give support. Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) occurs when tissue and muscles can no longer support the pelvic organs and drop down.

How does reconstructive surgery treat pelvic organ prolapse?

The goal of reconstructive surgery is to restore organs to their original position. Some types of reconstructive surgery are done through an incision in the vagina. Others are done through an incision in the abdomen or with laparoscopy.

Sacrocolpopexy is used to treat vaginal vault prolapse and enterocele. It can be done with an abdominal incision or with laparoscopy. Surgical mesh is attached to the front and back walls of the vagina and then to the sacrum (tail bone). This lifts the vagina back into place.

What is involved in recovery after surgery to treat pelvic organ prolapse?

Recovery time varies depending on the type of surgery. It would help if you usually took a few weeks off from work. For the first few weeks, you should avoid vigorous exercise, lifting, and straining. You also should avoid sex for several weeks after surgery.

Laparoscopy is a way of doing surgery using small incisions (cuts). It is different from “open” surgery, where the incision on the skin can be several inches long. Laparoscopic surgery sometimes is called “minimally invasive surgery.”

Laparoscopic surgery uses a special instrument called a laparoscope. The laparoscope is a long, slender device inserted into the abdomen through a small incision. It has a camera that allows the obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) to view the abdominal and pelvic organs on a screen.

If a problem needs to be fixed, other instruments can be used. These instruments usually are inserted through additional small incisions in the abdomen. They sometimes can be inserted through the same single incision made for the laparoscope. This type of laparoscopy is called “single-site” laparoscopy.

Laparoscopy has many benefits. There is less pain after laparoscopic surgery than open abdominal surgery, which involves larger incisions, more extended hospital stays, and longer recovery times. Recovery from laparoscopic surgery generally is faster than recovery from open abdominal surgery. The smaller incisions that are used allow you to heal faster and have smaller scars. The risk of infection also is lower than with open surgery.

What problems can laparoscopy be used to diagnose and treat?

Laparoscopy may be used to look for the cause of chronic pelvic pain, infertility, or a pelvic mass. If a problem is found, it can often be treated during the same surgery. Laparoscopy also is used to diagnose and treat the following medical conditions:

Endometriosis—A laparoscopy may be recommended if you have signs and symptoms of endometriosis and medications have not helped. The laparoscope is used to see inside your pelvis. If endometriosis tissue is found, it can often be removed during the same procedure.
Fibroids—Fibroids are growths that form inside the uterus wall or outside the uterus. Most fibroids are benign (not cancer), but a minimal number are malignant (cancer). Fibroids can cause pain or heavy bleeding. Laparoscopy can sometimes be used to remove them.
Ovarian cyst—Some women have cysts that develop on the ovaries. The cysts often go away without treatment. But if they do not, your ob-gyn may suggest that they be removed with laparoscopy.
Ectopic pregnancy—Laparoscopy may be done to remove an ectopic pregnancy.
Pelvic floor disorders—Laparoscopic surgery can treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
Cancer—Some types of cancer can be removed using laparoscopy.

Myomectomy is the surgical removal of fibroids while leaving the uterus in place. Because a woman keeps her uterus, she may still be able to have children. Fibroids do not regrow after surgery, but new fibroids may develop. If they do, more surgery may be needed.

Hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus. The ovaries may or may not be removed. Hysterectomy is done when other treatments have not worked or are impossible, or the fibroids are very large. A woman is no longer able to have children after having a hysterectomy.

Outpatient surgery, also called ambulatory, or same-day surgery does not always occur in a hospital. It may be done in a health care professional’s office, surgical center, or clinic. You may arrive for surgery and return home on the same day. You will need someone to drive you home.

Inpatient surgery takes place in a hospital. You usually check in on the day of surgery and remain for a few days or more after surgery.

How will health care professionals be involved in my surgery?

A team of health care professionals may work together to care for you before, during, and after your operation. Nurses may assist your doctor during surgery, perform special tasks, and help make you more comfortable.

A resident or fellow may help during your surgery. Residents are doctors who have finished medical school. They are getting special training by working with your doctor. A fellow is a fully trained doctor doing additional training in a specialized area.

The anesthesiologist is the person who is in charge of giving anesthesia and checking its effects. Sometimes anesthesia is provided by a nurse anesthetist who works under the direction of an anesthesiologist.

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