Physician performs first single incision total hysterectomy

Patients do better with less invasive procedures and now women needing a total hysterectomy can have it performed through one small incision.

Justin Lee, MD, a urogynecologist/pelvic reconstructive surgeon at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, has successfully performed the state’s first single laparoscopic incision total hysterectomy. Using one small incision in the patient’s umbilicus or belly button, Dr. Lee completed the surgery with less trauma to the abdomen, less risk for complications, less scarring and a shortened recovery time. Because of the location of the incision, there is also the potential for no visible scar. Dr. Lee specializes in female pelvic medicine as well as reconstructive and minimally invasive surgery.

Traditionally, total hysterectomies have required an abdominal incision that took weeks to heal. Advances in medicine have allowed the surgery to be performed through traditional laparoscopy, but that required three incisions.