I *do* plan to ask my doc, but...

My hysterectomy is scheduled for 1/5. When I saw my doc last in November, he said the goal is a vaginal hysterectomy. I'm assuming it's laparoscopic, but didn't think to ask. I'm having a liver biopsy (I have a genetic liver disease) at the same time, which is why I'm assuming it's laparoscopic. It's easy for the gastro to go in laparoscopically and grab a 'chunk'. I've been putting off the biopsy for over a year now because usually you're awake during the procedure and it's NOT pleasant!

When he said he'd try, I also didn't think to ask him what might cause him to go the other route. *der*

My pre-op is 01/02, so of course I'll ask him what might cause him to need to bag the plan and go another route, but am wondering if anyone else went in expecting the surgery to go one way, and ended up going another.

What might be some reasons that could happen?

Thanks, from the dumb one who didn't ask the right questions (but did ask a lot of the wrong ones apparently!)

Don't say you're the dumb one!! We have so many things to consider with this surgery it's impossible to get it all "right" the first try!
I asked some of the same questions a few times - I think - because I couldn't keep all the information straight.

Reasons to change to abdominal hyst during surgery are -- fibroids and/or uterus too large, suspicion of cancer, extensive endo needing to be "cleaned up", ovary attached to something, bladder repair needed ... just to name a few. It can happen and you are wise to research both types of hyst. before you go.

Mine was scheduled to be abdominal from the start, but it would have had to be switched if they had tried vaginally because my uterus and bladder were adhered to each other.

But even with my procedure, things weren't exactly as planned. They told me that due to the size of my uterus, I should expect a "T-shaped" incision (hip-to-hip horizontal for the panniculectomy, and vertical from the other incision to my belly button for the hysterectomy). When I woke up, I was glad to learn that they were able to do both procedures with just the horizontal incision.

There is only so much that can be diagnosed without actually "being inside", so there may be any number of things that happen which could cause the procedure to change from vaginal to abdominal, but most procedures are done the way they are planned from the outset.

to you.

MJ and InTune have the right of it. My LAVH was switched to a TAH due to adhesions and other little goodies not previously known, but I'd been warned it might happen. Didn't bother me in the slightest, and it wasn't that much extra time before I was off the pain meds and bopping around like a bunny.

Lena

So.... even though I've had a vaginal and abdominal ultrasound, there still could be hidden 'goodies'?

Well, I'll hope for the best - but it sounds like the other options are doable.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Wow- 16 days away... weird.

Some things just aren't that visible, or may be hidden by other things. They didn't find my adhesions until the laparascope was inserted, and some of my fibroids were considerably larger than they appeared in the vaginal ultrasound. (Patting my stomach) I was just glad for the pain, massive periods, and swelling to end, and I didn't care what method got me there. Would it have been nice to have an LAVH? Probably, but it wasn't that big of a deal in the long run for me. I'm one of the very lucky ones who sailed through everything, and today I'm already ten pounds lighter, feeling wonderful, and happily frisky with the DH. My only pain is the sore muscles I earned from walking or my belly dancing lessons! LOL!

Lena