Women’s Health: Breast and Gynecologic Surgery at St. Luke’s

Laparoscopic Hysterectomy – All Types – An operation to remove a woman's uterus, which is where the baby grows in a pregnant woman. The ovaries and fallopian tubes also can be removed during this procedure. There are several types of laparoscopic hysterectomies:

• A laparoscopic vaginal hysterectomy is done through the vagina.
• A laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy allows the surgeon to remove the uterus but leave the cervix in place.
• A laparoscopic myomectomy is the removal of fibroid tumors from the uterus and fibroids from the pelvic cavity.

Laparoscopy – Tubal Ligation – Surgery to close a woman's fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries to the uterus. After tubal ligation, a woman is unable to get pregnant. A laparoscopic tubal ligation is performed with the aid of a small camera and special instruments placed in the abdomen.

Laparoscopic and Robotic Tubal Reanastomosis – Performed on women who have had tubal ligation and want to have the procedure reversed. A laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis is performed with the aid of a small camera and special robotic instruments placed in the abdomen.

Minimally Invasive Hysteroscopic, Myomectomy, Polypectomy and endometrial Ablation Procedures – A hysteroscopy allows a surgeon to see the lining of a patient’s uterus using a hysteroscope. The hysteroscope is placed in a patient’s vagina and moved through the cervix and into the uterus. Some of the procedures that can be performed with a hysteroscope are:

• Hysteroscopic myomectomy – Performed when fibroids are within or bulging into the uterine cavity. A wire at the end of the hysteroscope allows the surgeon to shave out fibroids.
• Hysteroscopic polypectomy – Removal of a polyp using a hysteroscope.
• Endometrial ablation – Procedure to stop or decrease bleeding from the uterus using a hysteroscope.

Essure Sterilization – A surgeon uses a hysteroscope to see inside the uterus. This allows the surgeon to place a micro-insert into each fallopian tube. Scar tissue grows around the micro-inserts, blocking the fallopian tubes and preventing sperm from reaching the egg.

Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE)

For more information about Breast and Gynecologic Surgery at St. Luke’s, call 484-526-4805.