Reproductive Surgery
While the most successful treatments for infertility are the assisted reproductive technologies (ART), certain patients have anatomical causes of infertility and require surgery to correct anatomical disorders of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries, to help restore reproductive function.
Most reproductive surgery is minimally invasive—resulting in no or small incisions—and can be performed through an endoscope on an outpatient basis. An endoscope involves the use of either a laparoscope (a small telescope inserted into the abdominal wall) or a hysteroscope (a small telescope inserted within the uterine cavity). Minimally invasive surgery is often associated with less pain than traditional surgery and allows patients to return home the same day.
Our physicians are experienced and trained to perform the following pelvic or reproductive surgeries:
This procedure corrects the blockage or scarring of the fallopian tube(s), which can hinder the sperm and egg from reaching one another in order for fertilization to occur. This is often referred to as tubal infertility. Blockage or scarring may occur as a result of a previous pelvic infection, inflammation including endometriosis and previous pelvic surgery.
Uterine malformation is the result of abnormal development of the uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix and/or vagina during fetal development. These abnormalities can result in symptoms including no menstrual cycles (amenorrhea), infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss and chronic pelvic pain. The most common of uterine malformation is a uterine septum. This can easily be resected using a hysteroscope to restore normal pregnancy outcomes.
It is estimated that endometriosis occurs in roughly five to 10 percent of women and is much more common in women with infertility. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that normally lines the uterus develops outside the uterine cavity in abnormal locations such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes and abdominal cavity. Symptoms may depend on the location of the excess tissue development and can include pelvic pain (often worsening during the menstrual cycle), painful intercourse and infertility. Treatment, such as hormone therapy, minimally invasive surgery or both, may help relieve the pain associated with endometriosis and restore one’s fertility.
Approximately 30 to 50 percent of women have fibroid tumors, which are typically benign, non-cancerous growths of muscle in the wall of the uterus. While most fibroid tumors go unnoticed, some can grow during the reproductive years. Depending on their size and location, they can cause infertility, recurrent miscarriages, excessive uterine bleeding, pain and pressure or severe anemia. Also, depending on their size and location, fibroid tumors can be removed either hysteroscopically or laparoscopically to restore normal fertility and menstrual function.
Although these fluid-filled sacs within the ovary are usually benign, non-cancerous and resolve on their own, some ovarian cysts cause infertility and pain and may require surgical removal, most often using the laparoscope.
Heavy or irregular bleeding between periods happens for different reasons including polyps, fibroids or cancer. Polyps are surgically removed in the office via hysteroscopy.
