Surgery is always a last-resort option, but when you have a condition that requires a surgical intervention, it is my opinion that the best option is always to use the least invasive procedure possible that adequately addresses your needs.
I am always careful to discuss all options available to you, even procedures that are not done by me, so you can make a fully informed decision.
A great example is the treatment of fibroids. Depending on your age and whether or not you desire to bear children sometime in the future, there are multiple alternatives to a surgical hysterectomy.
One minimally invasive fibroid treatment option is the uterine artery embolization (UAE), also called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). The procedure needs to be done by an interventional radiologist, but I can provide the workup here in my office. And we can discuss this option, as well as others, during the consultation.
Other alternatives to hysterectomy for fibroids are the MRI-guided US ablation (MRgFUS), hysteroscopy, and non-surgical medical treatments.
Whenever we do decide that surgery is the best option, there are usually different possible surgical approaches, such as the laparoscopic vs. the open approach. As an example, take an ovarian cyst. We can normally remove it via laparoscopy. Only in special situations would an “ open approach” be necessary.
Whatever the condition, I will always go over the open and minimally invasive options with you in my office to be sure you understand the risks—and all surgery always carries certain risks, which is why I typically only recommend it as a last resort. And when surgery must be done, the less invasive it is, the better.
You should also be aware that, because I believed so strongly in the minimally invasive approach (and still do), I completed a two-year fellowship in the discipline, and have had plenty of hands-on experience since.
However, in some cases, you may require a hysterectomy. If so, there are still options on how the surgery will be performed, and we will sit down and discuss each and every one. And after we discuss them, we can together pick the procedure that is best for you.
Surgery is unavoidably stressful by nature, but my job is to minimize that stress. I perform every procedure in the most comfortable setting possible, am always fully prepared, schedule at your convenience, and do make the procedure/recovery as quick and easy as possible.
