No Date: Surgery 7/3/12 Advise Please...

I am having a Supracervical Hysterectomy/Bladder Sling(TVT) and the dr. said the recovery process would be about 1 week...Is this true? He said I would have 3 small incisions 1 in belly button, 1 on either side of abdomen. The surgery is 2wks away and I'm starting to get really scared. Any advise would be GREATLY appreciated!

Your doctor is most likely talking about the initial recovery period and the incision healing. I had daVinci and my incisions healed rather quickly. All surgery types require the same internal healing though and that takes a bit longer. We are all different and heal at different rates, but 6 weeks is usually the norm for most sisters getting restrictions lifted.
:cathugs:

Hi Dragonfly!

You have come to a great place for hysterectomy information! Don't hesitate to check out all the Pre and Post Op articles and the various Hints members have posted to help you prepare for surgery and recovery.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by cathb911 All surgery types require the same internal healing though and that takes a bit longer.

Actually, this is not true. Some less invasive hysterectomy types, including the daVinci, can actually allow for quicker healing.

See if this information helps:

The AIMIS reports a faster recovery: http://www.aimis.org/

The Mayo Clinic agrees: "When you have minimally invasive surgery, you're likely to lose less blood and have less postoperative pain, fewer and smaller scars, and a faster recovery than you would after open surgery. Depending on your condition, you may need only a short hospital stay." http://www.mayoclinic.org/minimally-invasive-surgery/

Also, "the goal of less invasive surgery is to complete the procedure in a way that is easier on the patient's body, minimizing post-operative pain and scarring while speeding the healing process and reducing the likelihood of post-surgical complications. ... There are many potential advantages of employing minimally invasive procedures over conventional or open surgical procedures if applicable such as less pain, blood loss, shorter hospital stay and faster recovery time." http://www.lessinvasive.com/

"Since a minimally invasive procedure requires smaller incisions than conventional surgery (usually about the diameter of a dime), your body may heal much faster." http://www.smarterpatient.com/patien...vasive-surgery

"These minimally invasive laparoscopic hysterectomies help women to feel like themselves again sooner after surgery, with less pain, faster recovery and considerably less scarring." http://www.prevea.com/display/Hysterectomy.nws

"Less cutting means quicker healing": http://chestnuthill.healthconnection...FAL2011p6.aspx

"Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, our surgeons using the da Vinci System can operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast recovery and excellent clinical outcomes." http://www.roboticsurgeryfdc.com/Hysterectomy.php

There are children's surgeons, periodontists, orthopedic surgeons, cardiologists, veterinarians, and many other medical professionals besides gynecologists who promote less invasive surgery because of its benefits that include a faster healing and shorter recovery period.

As with any medical procedure, each person will heal at her own rate and it can also depend on the skill of the surgeon. So we at HysterSisters.com do advise that each woman follow her own surgeon's orders for her regardless of hysterectomy type.

S