Sometimes, gynecologic care involves surgical procedures. If you need surgery, you might be worried about dealing with a long recovery period or significant scarring that could last for years a long time after your procedure.
Shorter recovery periods and reduced scarring are just two of the reasons Alexandra Pellicena, MD, uses minimally invasive surgical techniques whenever possible at her Houston, Texas, practice. She can remedy gynecologic issues such as fibroids and tumors, organ prolapse, and endometriosis. She also can perform a hysterectomy laparoscopically.
Here’s what Dr. Pellicena would like her new and existing patients to know about the benefits of minimally invasive surgery and why these techniques might be the right solution for your OB/GYN surgical needs.
Instead of opening a large incision on your abdomen for surgery, minimally invasive techniques rely on state-of-the-art imaging technology to better visualize your procedure. The small, high-resolution digital camera helps Dr. Pellicena view the treatment area through an incision only about half-an-inch long, without sacrificing precision or accuracy.
During a minimally invasive surgical procedure, Dr. Pellicena uses specialized surgical tools to work on the inside of your body. These tools give her sophisticated control to work within a confined space, allowing her to complete your procedure without creating a large opening.
Open surgical techniques used in past decades often meant cutting through muscles and disturbing tissues around the surgical site. With minimally invasive techniques, we can spare your tissues and muscles, so your recovery period won’t be nearly as long and uncomfortable.
Any surgical opening in your body creates a potential risk for infection. Dr. Pellicena and her treatment team take all possible steps to reduce your infection risk, and keeping your surgical incisions small is one of the best ways to reduce your chances for developing a post-surgical infection. You also don’t experience as much blood loss with minimally invasive techniques.
Minimally invasive surgery is sometimes known as keyhole surgery. It doesn’t leave a long incision behind that can result in major scarring. The small incision needed for your procedure may heal quickly and leave only a small mark, which in many cases is no longer noticeable after a while.
With small incisions, minimized physical impacts, and reduced overall strain on your immune system, you can recover from your surgical procedure more rapidly and completely.
You also can expect to deal with less pain overall, reducing your need for narcotic pain medication. You also shouldn’t experience as many restrictions on your activity as you would following a major surgical operation.
To learn more about how minimally invasive surgery could improve your gynecological health, get in touch with Dr. Pellicena’s office over the phone or online today.
