Minimally invasive gynecological surgery

  Less invasive, less painful and faster recovery is the dream of every patient who needs surgery, and minimally invasive surgery makes this dream a reality. The emergence of minimally invasive surgery and its widespread use in the medical field is a matter of the last decade or so. The concept of minimally invasive surgery was developed due to the progress of the whole medical model, driven by the “holistic” view of treatment. Minimally invasive surgery focuses on the improvement and rehabilitation of patients’ psychological, social, physical (pain), spiritual and quality of life, with maximum consideration for patients and reduction of their pain. Most people have the impression that gynecological surgery is associated with horizontal or vertical incisions in the lower abdomen. Minimally invasive gynecological surgery relies on the increasing popularity of laparoscopic techniques and the continuous improvement of cathartic gynecological surgery techniques. Currently, with the continuous improvement of gynecological surgery operation techniques and the application of new instruments in clinical practice, gynecological surgery is developing in the direction of minimally invasive surgery.  The concept of minimally invasive is throughout the surgery, which is reflected in the cutting and suturing, one move after another. When we perform microsurgery or endoscopic surgery, we often mention several technical principles, such as keeping moist, keeping blood free, keeping clear, keeping gentle, and keeping speed, which are fundamentally aimed at keeping minimally invasive. Therefore, these technical principles are also appropriate for any surgical procedure. Transvaginal surgery – pelvic surgery other than that of the vagina itself, if it can be performed vaginally, is considered to be in accordance with the principles of minimal invasiveness. Today, the following procedures can be performed transvaginally: 1) hysterectomy, preferably less than 10 weeks of gestation; however, most uteri can be removed with lumpectomy assistance. 2) removal of fibroids, preferably single fibroids in the anterior and posterior walls. 3) tubal sterilization, which is very convenient. 4) surgery for pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. 5) gynecologic oncology surgery, with cervical cancer surgery being the most challenging. More than 100 years have passed since the extensive transvaginal hysterectomy. Due to the updated concept and the application of laparoscopy, radical cervical hysterectomy with uterus preservation and laparoscopic-assisted extensive transvaginal hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection have been introduced in recent years, which have led to the emergence of brand-new ideas and surgical procedures for cervical cancer surgery.  Endoscopic surgery – Endoscopic surgery is gradually becoming the basic mode of gynecologic surgery. Applications of laparoscopic surgery: 1. Laparoscopy is a surgery with clear superiority, including diagnosis and treatment of gynecological emergency abdomen, pelvic mass or benign ovarian cyst, laparoscopic examination and surgery of endometriosis. 2. Optional laparoscopic surgery, mainly hysterectomy, uterine fibroid removal, tubal anastomosis and peritoneal method artificial vaginoplasty, benign ovarian tumor in pregnancy, endometrial cancer surgery, the radical cervical cancer surgery, pelvic floor reconstruction, etc. The application of hysteroscopic surgery: transcervical endometrial resection (for abnormal uterine bleeding), polypectomy, etc. Now there are new energy endometrial removal systems such as microscopic official cavity imaging and thermal ball, as well as tubal microscopy and operation developed by transcervical cavity. In addition, there are minimally invasive techniques such as ultrasound intervention, radiological intervention and high-energy ultrasound focused therapy. Some new energy systems have also been applied in gynecological surgery to complement conventional weapons such as traditional knife, scissors and forceps, such as radiofrequency ablation, hydrogen-helium knife, ultrasonic knife, PK knife, and vascular closure systems.