How many different types of surgery are there for ovary removal?

Question

Afraid of the pain from the gas in the abdomen after laproscopic type.

I know the gas is not in my bowels, I know what the gas is for and how painful it is until it dissipates.

Answer 1

I'm assuming that you're having your ovary removed for cystic disease rather than for cancer as no surgeon would likely perform an ovarian cancer operation as a laparoscopic procedure. If the surgery is to remove a single ovary, it can either be done open or laparoscopically. If you are having a hysterectomy performed with it, it can be done vaginally.

Numerous studies have been done comparing laparoscopic approaches with open approaches to surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is associated with longer operating times, but shorter hospital stays and less postoperative pain. I don't do many GYN cases, but the laparoscopic cases I do typically result in much less pain than open procedures. After a laparoscopic surgery, the gas is evacuated from the abdominal cavity. A small residual amount may remain and this can irritate the diaphragm causing referred pain to the shoulders typically. This usually resolves in a day or two as the gas is reabsorbed by your body. Incisional pain from a large incision is usually much worse than the pain from retained gas in the peritoneal cavity.

If ovarian cancer is suspected, you will need an open surgery with total hysterectomy and removal of the ovaries with lymph node sampling and debulking of metastasized tumor. This doesn't really sound like what you've got, though.

Answer 2

Well, if you do not have laproscopic surgery, the ovary could be removed vaginally or thru an abdominal incision. If cancer is suspected, I am sure the surgeon would want a good view of the surrounding area and the ability to collect biopsies if necessary. I believe this is difficult with the vaginal approach. The laproscopic approach avoids an abdominal incision. The gas used is removed at the end of the surgery. The gas does not enter your bowel, so you do not have gas in your bowel after the surg. Really need to talk to the surgeon and drill him til you feel absolutely clear on the details. Hope you do well.