Keyhole surgery – an advanced procedure that diagnoses and treats endometriosis
Standard treatment for endometriosis consists of hormone treatment or surgery. Although hormone treatment can be beneficial for managing pain, surgery is considered the better option for fertility. There have been many advances in keyhole surgery over the last decade making it the first choice in the treatment of most cases of endometriosis. Dr Steve Raymond at Newcastle Ultrasound is an international leader in keyhole surgery for endometriosis, with approximately 80-90% of patients falling pregnant within a year after surgery alone, or in combination with either hormone therapy or IVF.
Keyhole surgery is currently considered the gold standard for diagnosing and treating endometriosis
Keyhole surgery is a minimally invasive technique that involves the patient being asleep for 20-30 minutes while a telescope is inserted into the abdomen, usually via the navel. The uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries are all checked for scarring, adhesions and cysts (endometriomas).
Diagnosis by keyhole surgery is more precise for diagnosis than through ultrasound alone. If any adhesions or cysts are found they can be treated at the same time as the diagnosis is made. In many cases fertility is immediately improved.
Endometriosis can be very mild or quite severe and the extent of the disease does not correlate well with the patient’s symptoms. Some patients may have quite severe disease and no symptoms at all.
Keyhole surgery reduces recovery time, pain, scarring, as well as the amount of analgesia required
Keyhole surgery allows you to get back to your daily activities quicker even if extensive surgery is required. Traditional open surgery (laparotomy) requires a large incision to be made to the abdomen. This can be very painful and increases the length of the hospital stay and recovery time significantly.
The skill of the surgeon is crucial when undergoing keyhole surgery
Dr Steve Raymond is a nationally and internationally recognised expert in the field of keyhole surgery. This highly meticulous technique requires great care and precision.
Dr Raymond regularly attends conferences worldwide to update his knowledge and skills, and he presents his surgery results to GPs and medical specialists across Australia and overseas. He has a strong network of medical peers that he consults with in the event a multidisciplinary team is required for particularly complex or progressive cases of endometriosis.
For an expert consultation with our gynaecologist to understand if keyhole surgery is right for you, speak to your GP about a referral to Newcastle Ultrasound
You can download a referral form for your GP here. For more information, or to make an appointment, please call our patient liaison coordinator on (02) 4957 3899.
