Laparoscopy Melbourne

Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery
At Melbourne Mothers, you can count on our experience in advanced laparoscopic surgery. On this page, we will go over the treatment types that may include a laparoscopic procedure.
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Types of laparoscopy Melbourne Mothers

What is laparoscopic gynaecological surgery?

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Key points
  • Gynaecological laparoscopy or keyhole surgery using small incisions as an alternative to open surgery which requires a large incision.
  • There are different reasons for gynaecological procedures: they are often a diagnostic tool for unexplained infertility and unexplained pelvic pain.
It is crucial that you choose a gynaecologist who is experienced in advanced laparoscopic surgery, because of the delicate nature of a surgical intervention around your uterus.

Laparoscopy refers to a surgical technique with small incisions and a camera. In gynaecology, these are the most common laparoscopic procedures:

  • Reproductive surgery: related to fertility
  • Endometriosis surgery: a laparoscopic procedure to diagnose and treat endometriosis
  • Laparoscopic procedures for fibroids or ovarian cysts
  • Surgery in children and adolescents to correct congenital abnormalities (paediatric gynaecology)
  • Hysterectomy: a total laparoscopic removal of the uterus may be advised in some cases.
The experience your gynaecologist has acquired in the field of gynaecological laparoscopic surgery is essential. There are sensitive blood vessels and ligaments around your uterus, and the urinary and gastrointestinal systems. As you get ready to have surgery, you will have more peace of mind working with a highly qualified and experienced laparoscopic surgeon.
Laparoscopy Melbourne
Laparoscopy Melbourne

Endometriosis Laparoscopy Melbourne Mothers

Endometriosis surgery

As your gynaecologist, I may discuss laparoscopic surgery with you in case you have been diagnosed with endometriosis. It is a common women’s health condition when unwanted tissue is formed outside your uterus. It means that the type of tissue we find in the lining of your uterus causes inflammation outside the uterus. You may feel chronic pelvic pain, or you may experience excessive bleeding. The impact of your symptoms is linked to your oestrogen levels.

Endometriosis is often an underlying cause of subfertility or infertility and if you want to avoid fertility treatment such as IVF, it is important to see your gynaecologist if you think you may have endometriosis symptoms. An estimated 1 in 9 women will have it, and endometriosis mostly occurs before the age of 44.

“It often takes years for women to get clarity on what causes their symptoms. On average, women can spend 6.5 years before they are properly diagnosed. Frequently, suspicion of endometriosis is raised but not thoroughly investigated. As a result, the journey comes to a dead end before all treatment options have been explored and patients may start to lose hope.”

You may have heard of terms like deep infiltrating endometriosis or endometriomas. With deep endometriosis, scarring tissue or endometriotic nodules attach to your pelvic area, and the surgeon needs to look at your pelvic anatomy to plan the surgical removal of endometrial tissue. This may require the expertise of other surgeons who specialise in bowel or bladder surgery at the same time.

When you haven’t received a clear diagnosis and you feel you need specialist expertise, it’s good to know that laparoscopic surgery can be part of a diagnostic process, or it can be part of a management plan for endometriosis.

Diagnostic:
Laparoscopic gynaecological surgery is the best or gold-standard process to obtain a diagnosis. It’s a procedure under general anaesthetic and we use laparoscopic surgery (or keyhole surgery) to get the best image of the tissue that causes your symptoms. We look at the tissue of your fallopian tubes, your uterus and your ovaries. If endometrial tissue is found outside your uterus, we can formulate a formal diagnosis for endometriosis. In ideal circumstances, we can also remove tissue as part of the procedure: stripping the cysts or endometriomas from your ovary for example. Sometimes endometriosis can result in the formation of nodules in the layers of the bowel in which case your gynae surgeon may involve a specialist bowel surgeon at the same time to remove the endometriosis deposits.

Management:
Once it has been established that you have endometriosis, we use laparoscopic surgery techniques to remove the relevant tissue. Surgery is but one of a number of management techniques that we could employ. Most often, a strategic management plan which may involve, yoga, pilates, medication and dietary modifications is the best approach.

One of the reasons to see a qualified and experienced gynaecological laparoscopic surgeon is to get an accurate diagnosis and establish realistic goals.

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Fibroids Laparoscopy Melbourne Mothers

Fibroids surgery

Fibroids are benign growths in the muscle tissue of your uterus. There is no reason to panic when your GP mentions these ‘growths’, and we have excellent surgical options to remove them.

About 8 in 10 women will have had at least one fibroid before the age of 50. In gynaecology and medicine, there are still a lot of open questions about what exactly causes fibroids.

The symptoms you may experience – and that would justify further evaluation – are :

  • Pelvic or low back pain
  • Abnormal uterine bleeding
  • Fertility Issues- A delay in conceiving or having suffered a miscarriage


It is possible to have fibroids and not to have any symptoms at all. You may feel that the pain comes and goes with your menstrual cycle. The growth of fibroids fluctuates with your hormone levels and these levels vary depending on where you are in your cycle.

Growth of fibroids can be quite variable and can change during pregnancy. In other situations, they outgrow the blood supply that feeds them, and that may cause them to degenerate. You would think that this is good news, but the downside is that the degeneration can cause severe pain. After menopause, fibroids have a tendency to shrink.

As your gynaecologist, I first help you get clarity so you can make a well-informed decision. We discuss your medical history and we look at your symptoms. Routine tests will give us more information and then we can discuss your treatment options. There are nonsurgical options using medications, or we can discuss laparoscopic surgery to remove fibroids.

Hysterectomy Melbourne Mothers

Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the uterus. Reasons for having a hysterectomy include severe pelvic pain, endometriosis, pelvic organ prolapse, heavy bleeding or cancer.

“We understand that a hysterectomy is never a light decision for our patients. During our consultation we will take the time to discuss pros and cons and other options. The ultimate decision is usually made based on the severity of symptoms, family planning, response to medical treatment, urgency of the situation, and most importantly, what our patient decides is best for them.”
During a laparoscopic hysterectomy we use a thin telescope through small cuts in the abdomen. We insert the instruments using these small incisions, make a incisions around your cervix and womb, and then remove the uterus.

Laparoscopy Melbourne Mothers

A personalised approach

At Melbourne Mothers, we see you as the unique person that you are. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach where symptoms lead to surgery.

We look at your personal circumstances. A women’s health concern can be connected to your family planning or fertility journey and you could experience improved fertility after surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive and often called the gold standard for the management of fibroids or endometriosis. But it is essential to understand that this type of surgery may not cure the condition indefinitely. We use our expertise to give you realistic information, including a conversation about your chances of needing additional treatment in the year after you had surgery for fibroids or endometriosis.