How often does a TVH turn into abdominal surgery?

The doctor doing my surgery told me that there was a small chance they'd have to open my abdomen and gave me a prep kit to clean my tummy before surgery. Is this standard procedure? Is there more than a very minimal chance that they'll have to go abdominal?

It's standard to say that to everyone. Bowel prep is common but not universal. There's always some chance for any type hyst but how much chance depends on the Dr's skill and individual situation. Your Dr can probably give a "best estimate" for your case, but usually things do go as planned for surgery type if they expect it to work. I know my TVH went well and was an easy recovery-----I hope yours is, too.

My surgeon told me right up front that there was a slight chance of having to convert to an open procedure. (My gall bladder surgeon told me the same thing 2 years ago when I had lapro cholecystectomy). It's just to cover them in case there's something in there that can't be fixed by lapro/robot or, in your case through the vaginal opening. My surgeon mentioned extensive adhesions as a reason why he'd have to convert. Fortunately, he didn't have to.

I asked him how often he has had to convert and he told me less than 2% of the time. Every surgeon is different so I'd ask yours specifically how often does he have to convert.

Is your surgeon going to use lapro/da vinci assistance during your TVH?

This link http://www.davincihysterectomy.com/d...omparison.aspx is a comparison chart showing the different methods of assisted vaginal hysterectomy compared to open procedure.

I asked my doctor about that at my pre-op appointment(I'm scheduled for a TVH). He told me it doesn't happen very often, but he would alter the plan if bleeding made it too hard to see, or if he could manuever around in there as well as he needed to.

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Originally Posted by greyown It's standard to say that to everyone. Bowel prep is common but not universal. There's always some chance for any type hyst but how much chance depends on the Dr's skill and individual situation. Your Dr can probably give a "best estimate" for your case, but usually things do go as planned for surgery type if they expect it to work. I know my TVH went well and was an easy recovery-----I hope yours is, too.

Not bowel prep, skin prep. She gave me this kit to clean the skin the night before and again in the morning. And I'm not supposed to take a shower in the morning. If there's bowel prep involved, she didn't mention it, but maybe they'll bring it up at the pre op tomorrow morning.

For some reason the abdomen thing scared me more than the "we may nick your bladder" part.

Sorry! Not everyone has a bowel prep so if you don't, that's just what that Dr does. I think the skin prep of some type is standard, too, but the details vary. I had to do 2 showers with special cleaner I guess in case, since it was TVH. I would have thought the scrub would be lower but I just followed the instructions and hoped all would go according to plan----which it did. I hope yours is according to plan as well.