LASH / LSH explained

 
 

LASH was developed to reduce pain, minimize scarring and shorten recovery time. It causes less stress to the body than the traditional "open" hysterectomy or even vaginal hysterectomy.  The procedure can be done on an outpatient basis, which means the patient can be home resting comfortably within 24 hours and back to her normal activities in about a week or two.


The cosmetic result is better as well, because surgeon can avoid a large abdominal incision.

A vaginal scar is always the consequence of any total hysterectomy, which shortens the vagina. With LASH as the cervix and its ligaments are preserved this does not occur.  Therefore LASH is the more physiological procedure. Several studies show evidence of a more satisfactory sex life when the cervix is not removed.

 

At the BMI Three Shires Hospital Northampton, Mr von Widekind MD MRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, is offering laparoscopic supra-cervical hysterectomy (LASH) for benign conditions. As a minimally invasive procedure because unlike with other types of hysterectomy the cervix remains intact  therefore LASH is less traumatic, requires only a short hospital stay and recovery time is reduced to about two weeks.


  1. •Laparoscopic subtotal hysterectomy


LASH is a less invasive procedure because the surgeon only has to make three small incisions in the abdomen.  A thin, lighted video-laparoscope is inserted into the navel incision. With small surgical instruments inserted through the other two incisions he is able to remove the body of the uterus only leaving the bottom part, the cervix, intact. See diagram.

As with any hysterectomy additional procedures can be combined such as ovarectomy or prolapse surgery.


  1. •Keyhole surgery


It used to be that total abdominal hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix  through an abdominal incision) was the only type of hysterectomy offered to women and even today about 75 % of all hysterectomies are still done like this. As alternatives for some patients a vaginal or laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy might be offered.  The latter combines trans-abdominal laparoscopy and (total) vaginal hysterectomy. With these procedures the cervix is removed along with the uterus and so only slightly reduce hospital stay and recovery time and the cervix has to be removed. A vaginal approach is not suitable for every woman.

  1. •What are the advantages of LASH?