Star Clinic is pleased to be the first clinic in the area to use a new type of hysterectomy method. vNOTES (vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery) is an advanced minimally invasive gynecologic procedure using the vagina as a surgical access route.
This advanced gynecologic technique provides many benefits to female patients, such as:
• A shorter hospital stay
• Less postoperative pain
• Less pain medication
• Faster recovery time
• No visible scars
The vNOTES technique is most commonly used for hysterectomy procedures, as well as salpingectomy, oophorectomy, and cystectomy procedures.
Conditions treated by vNOTES include:
• Abnormal uterine bleeding
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Fibroids
• Prolapse of the uterus
In the vNOTES procedure, your doctor uses specialized instruments inserted through the vagina instead of creating visible abdominal incisions in the body. This allows your doctor to gain access to the uterus and/or fallopian tubes and ovaries without any visible scarring.
WHAT TO EXPECT WITH vNOTES
Before the Procedure:
Your doctor will advise you on any pre-surgical tests and give you guidelines for eating, drinking, and taking medications.
During the Procedure:
• vNOTES is performed under general anesthesia, so you will be asleep throughout the procedure.
• An incision is made in the vagina, and a specialized vNOTES device is placed to provide your doctor access to the uterus and/or fallopian tubes and ovaries.
• The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas (similar to traditional laparoscopic surgery) to give your doctor the necessary space to see and operate.
• A high-definition camera and specialized instruments are inserted through the vNOTES device, allowing your doctor to operate with the utmost precision and visualization.
• Once the surgery is complete, the vNOTES device is removed, the gas is evacuated, and all internal incisions are closed.
After the Procedure:
You may be discharged the same day as your procedure. Your doctor will advise you on your recovery and schedule a follow-up appointment.
Talking with your Doctor:
Only a trained doctor can determine whether you are eligible for a vNOTES procedure. All minimally invasive surgical procedures, including vNOTES, present risks to the patient, such as the potential for conversion to a traditional vaginal, laparoscopic, or abdominal approach. These specific risks may only be evaluated in consultation with a doctor experienced in vNOTES procedures.
In the U.S., about 500,000 hysterectomies are performed each year for women with chronic pain, fibroids, heavy bleeding, endometriosis, and precancerous or cancerous tumors.