Biloxi Regional Medical Center’s Outpatient Surgery Department offers type of minimally-invasive hysterectomy. The procedure, called laparoscopic superacervical hysterectomy (LSH), uses a laparoscope (a thin lighted telescope) and small surgical instruments inserted through tiny incisions to remove only the top portion of the uterus, while leaving the cervix intact. It can be performed on an outpatient basis, and offers less pain, scarring and shorter recovery times than the traditional hysterectomy, which removes the entire uterus and cervix through a much larger “open” abdominal incision.

More and more physicians are seeing the benefits of offering laparocopic hysterectomies. The traditional hysterectomy, which still accounts for the majority of cases, requires a four to six inch incision in the woman’s abdomen. The procedure that can now be performed is a significant benefit to the patient including minimal pain, less trauma to the body and a quicker recovery.

The laparoscopic procedure was developed to reduce pain, minimize scarring, and shorten recovery time. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. A patient can be home within 24 hours and back to normal activities in less than a week. Traditional “open” hysterectomy requires 3 – 6 days in the hospital and up to six weeks of recovery.

The laparoscopic procedure may not be appropriate if a woman has very large or numerous fibroids. In addition, a woman must be willing to continue to have an annual pap smear to screen for cervical cancer.

Dr. Stephen Jones is a member of Biloxi Regional’s Medical Staff and is qualified to perform this procedure. For more information about this procedure, contact Biloxi Regional Medical Center at 228-436-1690.