MISforWomen.com

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MISforWomen.com is a service of the AAGL, a non-profit association of minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons from all over the world. For over 40 years, the surgeons in the AAGL have worked to advance the minimally invasive surgical procedures and technologies that now allow millions of women each year to experience less pain and return to their daily routines more quickly following surgery.

Patients Change Our Lives Too
By Dr. Aarathi Cholkeri-Singh

Sometimes, patients change their doctor’s life more than we change their life.

Early in my career as a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, I treated a patient who changed my life professionally and personally. She was a 35 year old nun who was studying at the nearby university. She was a midwife in Africa where she lived but came on a scholarship to the United States to become a doctor herself. Unfortunately, her studies were suffering due to heavy menstrual bleeding and pain from multiple fibroids. ( READ MORE )
To Remove the Cervix or Preserve It During Hysterectomy? Your Options Explained.

A hysterectomy refers to the removal of a women’s uterus (womb) and possibly the cervix. Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgeries in the United States, with approximately 600,000 performed annually . Reasons for performing a hysterectomy include pelvic pain, heavy vaginal bleeding, fibroids, pelvic organ prolapse and cancer. There are two main types of hysterectomies: total and supracervical. A total hysterectomy refers to removal of the uterus and the cervix (It is a common misconception that a total hysterectomy includes removal of the ovaries. If the ovaries are to be removed, your surgeon will refer to that as a bilateral salpingoophorectomy or BSO.). A supracervical hysterectomy refers to removal of just the uterus with the cervix being left in place. Your surgeon may give you the option to keep or remove your cervix, but in some circumstances removal of the cervix is medically warranted. Hysterectomies that are performed for treatment of cancer generally will involve removal of both the uterus and cervix. Women having a hysterectomy for any of the first three reasons may elect to have either a total or supracervical hysterectomy (Figure 1). If the hysterectomy is for pelvic organ prolapse, the cervix may or may not need to be removed based on the type of prolapse repair that you need. In the United States in 2003, six percent of all hysterectomies performed were supracervical . ( READ MORE )

Hysterectomy
In the United States alone, more than 600,000 women per year have hysterectomies, yet only about half of those procedures are performed using MIS. Although abdominal hysterectomies are sometimes indicated for women with certain medical histories, minimally invasive techniques can be used in most benign situations to decrease recovery time, reduce pain, and save on the cost of surgery. LEARN MORE » DISCUSS »

Endometriosis
Endometriosis occurs when the blood and cells that form the endometrial lining of the uterus during the menstrual cycle exit the uterus through the fallopian tubes instead of through the vagina. This causes irritation in the abdominal cavity and surrounding organs, which often results in pelvic pain. A variety of MIS treatments are available for managing endometriosis and reducing pelvic pain. LEARN MORE » DISCUSS »

Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain is often caused by a number of related medical conditions, including pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis. A number of minimally invasive options are now available for reducing or eliminating pelvic pain. LEARN MORE » DISCUSS »

Fibroids
Fibroids are benign tumor-like growths in the muscle walls of the uterus, and are often the cause of heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain and pelvic pressure. In rare cases, they may interfere with a woman’s ability to become pregnant. Medical advances have made it possible to remove fibroids using minimally invasive surgical techniques including laparoscopic myomectomy and hysteroscopic myomectomy. LEARN MORE » DISCUSS »

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Women vary greatly in their menstrual cycles: what is normal for one may be abnormal for another. Many lifestyle factors can disrupt your normal cycle and cause you to miss periods or experience heavier-than-usual periods. All of these can be addressed by correcting the underlying problem, and in some cases through treatment with hormones. LEARN MORE » DISCUSS »

Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence (UI), the involuntary leakage of urine from the bladder, affects some 25 million adults, 75-80% of them women. It is important for women to know that incontinence is not a normal consequence of aging. In addition to non-surgical approaches, minimally invasive surgical approaches are now available to treat SUI, so women do not have to accept a compromised lifestyle. LEARN MORE » DISCUSS »

Patients Change Our Lives Too

To Remove the Cervix or Preserve It During Hysterectomy? Your Options Explained.