Chances are you know someone who's had a hysterectomy. It is the second most common surgery among women in the U.S. Today's procedure is very different from even five to 10 years ago. In April's Health Check report, one option makes a world of difference when it comes to recovery.
Four weeks out from surgery, Colleen Ciciulla feels a ton better. She needed a hysterectomy because of heavy bleeding. After getting a second opinion from Alegent Health Clinic OB-GYN Dr. Guy Schropp, Colleen found out the whole operation could be done laparoscopically.
“Enormous, because I hadn't planned on it. That wasn't a part of my vision so when he said that then I wanted to do it immediately and get it over with.”
Instead of making one large incision, doctors make three or four tiny ones. While a uterus is normally the size of a fist, Colleen's was much larger, around the size of a volleyball.
Still, Dr. Schropp was able to do everything internally, taking the uterus out piece by piece in a minimally invasive way. "Discomfort-wise, it's a big, big change,” said Dr. Schropp.
“In fact, we have a really hard time pulling the reins in because they're feeling so good. We do want to have them avoid lifting 10 to 15 pounds for six weeks just like it used to be, but we really get them out and moving a lot faster."
Colleen’s life is getting back to normal, but there is one change and that’s how much better she feels. "The next day I felt better because my doctor said he took out like two pounds and my other doctor said I was like five months pregnant so I had that amount of volume in me that I was very glad to get rid of."
Dr. Shropp says women who have a lot of scar tissue or extremely large uteruses may not be able to have the procedure done laparoscopically. Still, it's worth checking to see.Chances are you know someone who's had a hysterectomy. It is the second most common surgery among women in the U.S. Today's procedure is very different from even five to 10 years ago. In April's Health Check report, one option makes a world of difference when it comes to recovery.
Four weeks out from surgery, Colleen Ciciulla feels a ton better. She needed a hysterectomy because of heavy bleeding. After getting a second opinion from Alegent Health Clinic OB-GYN Dr. Guy Schropp, Colleen found out the whole operation could be done laparoscopically.
“Enormous, because I hadn't planned on it. That wasn't a part of my vision so when he said that then I wanted to do it immediately and get it over with.”
Instead of making one large incision, doctors make three or four tiny ones. While a uterus is normally the size of a fist, Colleen's was much larger, around the size of a volleyball.
Still, Dr. Schropp was able to do everything internally, taking the uterus out piece by piece in a minimally invasive way. "Discomfort-wise, it's a big, big change,” said Dr. Schropp.
“In fact, we have a really hard time pulling the reins in because they're feeling so good. We do want to have them avoid lifting 10 to 15 pounds for six weeks just like it used to be, but we really get them out and moving a lot faster."
Colleen’s life is getting back to normal, but there is one change and that’s how much better she feels. "The next day I felt better because my doctor said he took out like two pounds and my other doctor said I was like five months pregnant so I had that amount of volume in me that I was very glad to get rid of."
Dr. Shropp says women who have a lot of scar tissue or extremely large uteruses may not be able to have the procedure done laparoscopically. Still, it's worth checking to see.
