When medication and non-invasive procedures are unable to relieve symptoms, surgery remains the accepted and most effective treatment for a range of gynecologic (GYN) conditions including cancer (ovarian, cervical, and uterine), fibroids, endometriosis, uterine prolapse and excessive bleeding.
Northside Hospital is the leader in women’s services. More GYN surgeries are performed at Northside than at any other hospital in Georgia. We are ranked in the top 5 percent of U.S. hospitals for GYN robotic procedures. Our top-ranking gynecologic surgeons are specially trained to perform multiple types of minimally invasive laparoscopic and traditional surgical procedures to treat a wide array of GYN conditions.
Hysterectomy is the second most common GYN surgery after cesarean section. It can cure a variety of problems to which the uterus is prone. Most often hysterectomy is recommended for serious cases of fibroids, benign tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus. Hysterectomies can also cure severe cases of endometriosis, heavy non-menstrual bleeding, uterine or cervical cancer, and severe prolapse.
In addition to traditional laparoscopic hysterectomy, surgeons at Northside perform hysterectomy robotically and via single-incision. In fact, in 2010 Northside was the first hospital in Georgia to perform a radical hysterectomy using robotic technology.
Oophorectomy is the removal of one or both of the ovaries. It can be done alone, but it is often done as part of a hysterectomy in women who have undergone menopause. Reasons for oopherectomy include having or wanting to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, endometriosis, ovarian torsion (twisting of the ovary) and other benign cycts. The procedure is available via traditional laparoscopy, robotically and via single-incision.
While not all women with uterine fibroids experience symptoms, some may have excessive menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain and/or infertility. For those cases, a Myomectomy may be recommended to remove the fibroids. Myomectomy, a common alternative to hysterectomy, involves preserving and repairing the uterus, subsequently, preserving fertility and reducing the risk of uterine rupture during pregnancy. At Northside, myomectomy surgery is performed by laparoscopically and robotically. In 2008, Northside was the first hospital in the U.S. to deliver healthy twins after a patient received a robotic myomectomy.
Uterine Fibroid Embolization also is available to treat fibroids without surgery.
Urinary incontinence, a condition in which the bladder leaks, can have several different causes. Sometimes it is just an occasional problem when you cough or laugh. However, for those who regularly battle this condition or for those that less-invasive treatment options have been unsuccessful, surgery offers a more permanent option.
For a bladder that has been weakened by pregnancy and childbirth, there are several surgical solutions:
Learn more about Northside's Urodiagnostics Center for additional treatment options for urinary incontinence.
Approximately one-quarter of women in the U.S. have some pelvic organ prolapse (uterine or vaginal vault). Sacral colpopexy is a procedure that surgically corrects the prolapse and the problems it incurs such as urinary incontinence, vaginal ulceration, sexual dysfunction, and/or having a bowel movement. This procedure is available both laparoscopically and robotically at Northside.
Northside ranks in the top 5% of all robotic GYN programs in the nation. By using robotic technology, Northside surgeons are allowed a greater range of motion than humanly possible and the ability to perform more precise, less invasive procedures. As a result, our patients experience reduced post-operative pain and shorter recovery times. Read more about our robotic surgery program.
More cases of gynecologic cancer are diagnosed and treated at Northside Hospital Cancer Institute than at any other hospital in the Southeast. Northside leads the way in treating GYN cancers with innovative and minimally invasive treatments to give better outcomes. Read more about our Gynecologic Cancer Program.
