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It used to be when a woman needed a hysterectomy she could expect full abdominal surgery with a long recovery time. Dr. Melissa Lee uses less invasive methods that can cut the patients downtime in half.
"We were trained in more laparoscopic and minimally invasive cases so of course that's what I'm more comfortable with doing right now."
She sees a new generation of patients opting for laparoscopic surgery.
"Laparoscopy is the use of small cameras with small incisions and instruments that are guided by the hand, and you're able to see directly into the abdomen without actually fully opening the abdomen," says Dr. Lee, an obstetrician-gynecologist with Lee Memorial Health System.
Nowadays, even a large mass or uterus can be removed using the slender tools.
"There are multiple different laparoscopic instruments that you can use. Whether they're blunt dissections or just dissectors that hold and retract back or actual scissors or cutting instruments, there are multiple different options," says Dr. Lee.
While a standard abdominal hysterectomy requires a four to eight inch incision, the laparoscope needs only a quarter to half inch. It's enough to make a big difference in terms of recovery.
"They're able to get up and move around faster. They're able to recover faster, their pain level and their need for pain medicine is much lower," says Dr. Lee.
The laparoscopic procedure also cuts down on scarring and more importantly, shortens the hospital stay. The trend now is home within 24 hours.
"Where the patient is done early in the morning, they're doing well they're tolerating oral intake they're able to getup and move around. And those patients a lot of times will feel comfortable to go home that same nigh after a major surgery," says Dr. Lee.
New studies show women who've had a laparoscopic hysterectomy viewed their quality of life as better than those who had an open abdominal procedure, making this a good option for the right patient.
View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/
Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we've been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.
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Testicular torsion occurs when a testicle rotates, twisting the spermatic cord that brings blood to the scrotum. The reduced blood flow causes sudden and often severe pain and swelling. Testicular torsion is most common between ages 12 and 16, but it can occur at any age, even before birth. Testicular torsion usually requires emergency surgery. If treated quickly, the testicle can usually be saved. But when blood flow has been cut off for too long, a testicle might become so badly damaged that it has to be removed.
Doctors save the life of an unborn baby who was injured along with her mother in a missile attack in the Syrian city of Aleppo. The video shows a team of emergency medical workers delivering the baby by Cesarean section and then treating the newborn for the shrapnel wounds covering her body and one very large gash in her head. “Medics can be seen frantically reviving the baby, after delivering her by emergency cesarean, as she lies motionless,” the article states. “Eventually the tiny newborn begins to cry and seemingly comes to life as she is given an oxygen mask and rubbed vigorously.” “According to Reuters, the woman also has three other children, all of whom were injured in the attack, but are reported by doctors in the hospital to be in a good condition,” the Daily Mirror article states. The article does not provide the gestational age of the baby before it was delivered. The article said the pregnant woman was hit by a barrel bomb – “crude explosives and shrapnel and dropped from helicopters used by [Syrian] President Bashir al-Assad’s regime." The article notes an estimated 7.6 million Syrians have been displaced by the ongoing civil war and that 320,000, including 11,000 children, have been killed in the conflict. The Daily Mirror also reports that the doctors suggested that the tiny girl be named Amal, which means hope in Arabic. UK Daily Mirror: Incredible footage shows Syrian doctors perform lifesaving caesarean after missile strike leaves shrapnel embedded in unborn baby's face
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A Pap smear (Papanicolau smear; also known as the Pap test) is a screening test for cervical cancer. The test itself involves collection of a sample of cells from a woman's cervix (the end of the uterus that extends into the vagina) during a routine pelvic exam
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