Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: Use, Procedure, Benefits, & Recovery Time

A total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is a medical procedure that is used to remove the uterus and cervix. Ovaries and fallopian tubes might also be taken out in specific circumstances. But menopause may begin if the ovaries are removed. This surgery is frequently performed in conjunction with other procedures like pelvic lymph node dissection or prolapse correction.

A hysterectomy can be performed in various ways, including vaginally, laparoscopically, abdominally, or a combination of these. The TLH recovery time and pain are short, and the procedure leaves you feeling better pretty soon. However, there could be some issues, such as urinary tract damage.

Reasons To Have Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (TLH)

The following are the justifications for TLH surgery:

• Pelvic pain
• heavy bleeding
• Follicles Prolapse
• straightforward cervical cancer

Make sure your surgeon knows any routine drugs you take before the procedure. Additionally, you ought to quit smoking before surgery.

Prior to the procedure

To undergo a total laparoscopic hysterectomy, you must be in good physical condition. As a result, there will be less chance of difficulties, and the recovery process will go faster.

Among your options are:

• Adopt a balanced, healthy diet, quit smoking, and engage in regular exercise
• Schedule a pre-assessment visit to speak with your doctor about whether you are prepared for the procedure. To decide if you are healthy enough for the surgery or not, you should have a general health examination and some blood tests. Discuss any further queries or worries you may have regarding the surgery.

In these situations, you will be required to sign a permission form authorizing your gynecologist to carry out the procedure specified on the form. It is the lone exception if there is an unanticipated issue when doing the process.

Surgery day

Anesthesia is given in the first step. Next, a needle will be used to inject a little plastic tube called a cannula into your vein. This is done to provide fluids and drugs. A catheter for urine drainage will be put into your bladder after you are unconscious.

You will have a 2 cm incision created under your belly button. Then, your abdomen will be filled with gas to make room. The inside organs will then be seen with the insertion of a laparoscope, an optical device.

In order to introduce additional surgical instruments, three more tiny incisions on the abdomen will be made, each measuring 1 cm in length. Depending on the surgical goal, your ovaries and fallopian tubes may or may not be removed. Cervix and uterus removal through the vagina is a common procedure. However, a slightly larger cut is made on the abdomen, and the uterus is removed if the vagina is too small or the uterus is too large to fit through the vagina.

After The Procedure

You will be given painkillers once you awaken. There will also be some discomfort for you. Your periods will end following the complete laparoscopic hysterectomy. You may occasionally have symptoms that remind you of your menstrual period, such as bloating. There can be some minor vaginal bleeding or a dark brown discharge for 4 to 6 weeks following the surgery.

For a few weeks, the area around the wound will cause you a little discomfort. In 4 to 6 weeks, all of the bruising, redness, and swelling will also go away. It is typical to experience stinging or burning where the incision was made. Additionally, you can have numbness around the incision and down your leg. This might persist for up to two months and is typical.

You wouldn’t experience any hormonal problems if your ovaries weren’t removed. Some females experience depression and a feeling of loss. It’s important to remember that this surgery was sometimes performed to save a patient’s life and improve their health and wellness.

Recovery

As soon as you go home, your healing process starts. It takes around 4 to 6 weeks time to recover from TLH surgery, but it can vary as per the condition of the patient. You should be aware of the following before having a complete laparoscopic hysterectomy:

• You can get back to eating normally.
• Ask your physician if you may take a shower or a bath. Use mild soap and water to clean the wound if dissolvable stitches were used. About six weeks will pass before these sutures fall out. If staples are used, they must dry out for at least 48 hours before being removed.
• To reduce itching, use creams and lotions in the region near the incision.
• Increase your activities gradually. Ensure that you are pain-free and confident in your abilities. You can resume all of your regular activities in 4 to 6 weeks. Since this procedure was performed through laparoscopyically, you can resume your regular daily activities sooner.
• Drive only after you are capable and no longer need pain medication. This normally occurs two weeks following the operation.
• After three weeks following surgery, you will be able to leave town.
• After the operation, you should wait at least 4 weeks before lifting anything heavy.
• For four weeks, refrain from douching or placing anything else in your vagina.
• After six weeks following surgery, you can engage in sexual activity. But before doing so, speak with your doctor because, depending on your health, this time frame may alter.
• Light swimming can be done two weeks after the treatment, and strong swimming can be done four weeks after the procedure.
• You can resume your workout regimen in 4 to 6 weeks, depending on how you feel.
• Your doctor will determine when you are ideal for you to resume employment. Depending on the surgery, this might take anywhere from three to six weeks.

Common Ailments That Can Be Treated With (TLH) Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

• Hysterectomy: Hysterectomy is advised as a conclusive and long-term treatment for fibroids and other benign tumors.
• Heavy bleeding and pain during menstruation: Women may have excessive bleeding and pelvic discomfort due to various diseases. In a last-ditch effort to treat it, a hysterectomy is recommended.
• Endometriosis: A different condition where the uterus’ innermost walls extend into the surrounding organs. Extreme discomfort and irregular period bleeding are both brought on by it.
• Cancer: A hysterectomy may be necessary in cases of advanced cervical, endometrial, or ovarian cancer.

The uterus may sometimes prolapse, descending into the cervix and vagina. Or the uterine walls might thicken, leading to a disorder known as adenomyosis.

Hysterectomy is always a last resort, regardless of the reasons for having one. Of Course, it’s not a first line treatment. When all other treatment options have been used with unsatisfactory results, hysterectomy is recommended to stop the spread of serious disorders like cancer.

Only a portion of the uterus or the entire uterus may be removed, depending on the severity of the disease. Total hysterectomy refers to the removal of the uterus as well as the cervix. In situations of advanced cancer, a “radical hysterectomy” is performed. The uterus, cervix, and sometimes a portion of the vagina are removed during the procedure.

It is an in-patient operation since it is a major surgery performed under general anesthesia. Together, sedation and surgery can last up to three hours, and the patient then needs to stay for a few hours in the recovery room. The general anesthesia and the gas used to inflate the stomach both have long-lasting effects. The majority of patients have a gastrointestinal cleaning before the operation. Normal bowel motions and digestive processes don’t return right away. This is the reason why a hospital stay of at least one night is necessary.

A lengthier hospital stay may be needed, depending on the patient’s recovery, monitoring requirements for post-operative variables, and indications based on the patient’s age and unique difficulties.

Giving your doctor a comprehensive picture of your health and lifestyle objectives can help them determine whether a laparoscopic hysterectomy is the best option for you.

Does Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Covered Under Insurance?

While some insurance providers don’t, many do, and laparoscopic hysterectomy is one of them. If you have insurance, you should check with your provider to see if laparoscopic hysterectomy is covered. If you don’t have insurance or your coverage doesn’t cover laparoscopic hysterectomy, you’ll have to pay out of pocket. It is best to consult your insurers for guidance before filing a claim.

What Is The Right Age To Have Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy?

According to experts, a lady must be of legal age to get a hysterectomy. If a woman’s age is considered to be appropriate medically, she can proceed with a hysterectomy treatment. Any age can have this procedure, but it must first receive medical clearance. Hysterectomy procedures are not performed on patients between the ages of 18 and 35.

How Do I Meet The Requirements For A Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy?

If you meet the following criteria, you may be eligible for a hysterectomy: (fibroids are the main cause behind it). Cervical, womb, and ovarian cancer symptoms (it is so dangerous). • Pelvic discomfort (fibroids, endometriosis and PID are the major reasons behind this problem). • The uterus descending.

The Bottom Line-:

If you are suffering from pelvic pain or heavy bleeding, find the best laparoscopic surgeon in Chandigarh or any other city and go through a total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy as soon as possible. TLH surgery recovery time is less, so you can return to normal life within a few weeks.