Help! What do these mean?

I just read the letter that my surgeon sent to my internist requesting a pre-op physical (my surgery is being performed in another city.)

It says I am scheduled for a "RA L/S BSO, POSS ELAP, POSS HYSTERECTOMY."

I'm having my pre-op consultation with the surgeon this coming Monday (2/22) and the surgery is already scheduled for March 2nd.

I thought I was scheduling a hysterectomy because I have out-of-control ovarian cysts growing all over the place, inflamed, and possibly causing problems with my intestines.

Does anyone know what all that means?

Thanks!

allie -

You should call your doctor to make sure what they all mean. The BSO is a bi-lateral salphingo oopherectomy so that is referencing both your tubes and ovaries (bi-lateral is both sides, salphing is the word for the tubes and oopherectomy is the word for the ovaries).

I would presume POSS means Possible so it sounds like they are saying you may also have a possible hysterectomy.

Definitely call your Dr. you want to know what surgery they are going to perform on you.



G.

I can help you out, I work at a hospital. POSS ELAP is possible exploratory lararoscopy (stick in a camera and look around to see what they're dealing with). Sometimes they will put RSO or LSO to designate left or right ovary and tube as opposed to BSO (both). its possible they use a little bit of a different abbreviation or it could be a typo. Just check and ask them to explain the consent before you sign so you make your wishes clear. Ask for clarification at your pre-op visit too and ask all the "what if's" then.

Many thanks to both of you for answering. That explains a lot. I do have many questions for the surgeon at my appointment with him on Monday.

I did some online research and it looks like the RA means robotic assisted. This doctor is a gynecologic oncologist and specializes in minimally invasive surgery. It sounds like he is prepared to do do minimally invasive, but is also prepared to do whatever else is required during the surgery, depending on what he finds.

I am just looking forward to relief of my symptoms. I have not felt well for about four months, and it's getting worse, not better.

Thanks, again!

Allie -

I was going to hazard a guess on the RA being robotic assisted. You will see here people who say their surgery was a RALH that is a robotic assisted laproscopic hysterectomy.

That's what I had.



G.

Thanks. That's what I thought RA might mean. I've done some more research online and I found some sites that said that ELAP means exploratory laporatomy (spelling?), supposedly meaning opening up the abdoment to explore it, not necessarily the laporoscopic (spelling, again, sorry).