Covering all aspects of benign gynaecology, our Consultant Urogynecologist here at The Lancaster Hospital can also offer patients minimally invasive gynaecological surgery.
As a specialty, urogynaecology covers conditions including uterine and vaginal prolapse, pelvic floor reconstruction, bladder pain syndrome, recurrent urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence (stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder syndrome).
Benign gynaecology covers menorrhagia (abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding) and other menstrual disorders – including medical and surgical management of these conditions – which also includes endometriosis, and recurrent urinary tract infections.
Menopause management – including menopause problems and post-menopause bleeding – is catered for at The Lancaster Hospital’s gynaecological clinic, too.
In gynaecology, patients present with all sorts of benign areas, says our Consultant Urogynaecologist, who has special training in urogynecology and reproductive medicine. Assisted reproductive medical treatment, like In vitro fertilization (IVF), isn’t covered at The Lancaster Hospital.
Infertility management prior to IVF is catered for here at The Lancaster Hospital including initial basic investigations, hysterosalpingogram, and ovulation induction treatment can be offered (if it is not used with IVF).
The initial consultation involves taking the patient’s medical history and collating their information, says our Consultant Urogynaecologist here at The Lancaster Hospital.
There may be an opportunity to pacify investigation at the initial consultation. For example, if a patient has a small polyp, or an area that needs to be cauterised on the cervix, this could be treated at the same time.
However, in most instances, further investigations will be required, which will result in a second visit to the hospital.
It may also be necessary to send patients for an ultrasound or an MRI scan, prior to any further investigation – laparoscopy, or hysteroscopy are some of the most common investigations offered.
Below, we take a closer look at what’s involved during these investigations and treatments.
Laparoscopy
Usually, patients visit The Lancaster Hospital with symptoms that may suggest endometriosis – a relatively common condition which can cause pelvic pain, heavy and painful periods.
Often, a laparoscopy is needed to confirm this diagnosis – and patients can be assured that this is a common procedure with good efficacy.
With the aim to diagnose and remove mild to moderate endometriosis, the surgeon will insert a viewing instrument called a laparoscope (a narrow telescope) via a small incision. This is performed under general anaesthetic and is described by our consultant as the ‘Gold Standard’ procedure for diagnosing endometriosis.
In the first instance, though, patients who are concerned about an investigation involving general anesthetic may opt to have a standard ultrasound scan, which may help diagnose other menstrual cycle-related conditions.
Sometimes, a diagnostic laparoscopy can be used to check the fallopian tubes. This is for patients who wish to start a family – and it is a day case surgical procedure used to determine if the patient has a blockage of the fallopian tubes.
A minimally invasive surgery (MIS), it is used widely at The Lancaster Hospital and can help our Consultant gynecologist determine if there are any fertility issues which should be explored further.
NovaSure Ablation
A treatment that is used to help treat heavy periods in patients who complain of a heavy flow or strong menstrual cramping, NovaSure endometrial ablation is a one-time procedure that can safely and effectively reduce or eliminate heavy menstrual bleeding.
Also called abnormal uterine bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding can be treated via this effective, five-minute procedure, which aims to remove just the uterine lining—the endometrium, which can be responsible for heavy periods.
Patients can be assured that during this treatment, no incisions are required. Leaving your uterus intact, NovaSure endometrial ablation is usually offered to women who have completed their childbearing years and are suffering from heavy bleeding.
Less invasive than a hysterectomy (which is a surgical procedure to remove the womb), this treatment does not require the use of any hormones.
Hysteroscopy
In some cases, hysteroscopy surgery may be needed to investigate if the patient is suffering from a particular condition. It may also be used to remove fibroids or polyps. Fibroids are non-cancerous growths, made up of muscle and fibrous tissue, that develop in and around the womb.
Polyps, meanwhile, are growths that can be seen on the inner wall of the uterus, extending into the uterine cavity.
The purpose of a hysteroscopy is to examine the inside of the womb (uterus). Via a hysteroscope – a narrow telescope with a light and camera at the end – images of your womb are sent to a monitor for further examination. Passed into your womb through the patient’s vagina and cervix (entrance to the womb), a hysteroscopy can be done without any cuts being made to the skin.
In some patients, there are some conditions – for example, bladder pain issues and incontinence – which will require a urodynamics investigation or cystoscopic examination. This is performed by our Consultant Urogynaecologist in our urodynamics clinic, and it is a precursor to any treatment required, depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Urodynamic testing or urodynamics assesses how the bladder and urethra are performing their job of storing and releasing urine.
A cystoscopic investigation is performed to look for problems in the bladder is a telescopic examination of the bladder using a very thin long tube connected to a camera and images sent to a monitor and the doctor can identify absence/presence/location of bladder problems and a biopsy if needed can be obtained. And minor surgery can be performed to treat some types of incontinence problems.
Hysterectomy: Laparoscopic Hysterectomies, Vaginal Hysterectomies and vaginal prolapse repairs are carried out here at The Lancaster Hospital.
Other surgeries carried out include Myomectomy (Removal of Fibroids), Female sterilisation, Cosmetic Labial reduction/vaginal reshaping surgeries are also carried out here
The gynaecology clinic at The Lancaster Hospital covers the Lancashire area, including Preston, Leyland, Chorley, and further afield, and North and South Cumbria – including Penrith, Carlisle, Barrow to Kendal, Ulverston, Kirby Lonsdale.
The hospital is within easy access of the city centre, with a reliable local bus route available.
The Lancaster Hospital offers clean, modern facilities and a wealth of state of the art gynaecological equipment.
Appointments are quick, too – and the hospital has the relevant equipment to perform minimally invasive gynaecological surgery. This includes surgery for hysterectomy patients and the equipment is on hand to perform a laparoscopic hysterectomy. A general aesthetic is offered to patients for laparoscopic investigations.
The hospital has great ward facilities, too, as well as offering a wide range of consultant-led gynaecology appointments at times to suit you.
Here are some, at-a-glance reasons why you might want to choose The Lancaster Hospital for your initial consultation and any treatment required.
- Shorter waiting times – At The Lancaster Hospital, waiting times are short, and appointment times are flexible.
- Consultant-led appointments – Your appointment will always be consultant-led, and you will see the same person each time you visit the hospital, including for the consultation itself and any treatment you may need thereafter.
- Patient satisfaction and personalised care – We have awarded a 97.3% patient satisfaction score.
- Remote consultations – In some cases, you may be offered a remote consultation, which you can attend via the comfort of your own home on a platform like Microsoft Teams.
You can make a gynaecology appointment here at The Lancaster Hospital here on our website, by using our convenient online booking system.
Alternatively, call our friendly team on 01524 888809.
