• Ground-breaking surgical procedure

    Posted 18 January 2012


    Associate Professor Pather 

    After a resounding success for Sydney Cancer Centre patient Lynne Barwick, there are plans to increase the incidence of a relatively new surgical procedure called Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS), also known as ‘scarless surgery’.

    The procedure was performed by Associate Professor Selvan Pather (pictured) at RPA to remove pre-cancerous cells on Lynne’s cervix, which are generally hard to monitor and therefore at higher risk of becoming cancerous. Lynne says she had not heard of the procedure before Dr Pather recommended it and is very glad she agreed to undergo the less invasive keyhole procedure.

    ‘I was quite positive about the procedure beforehand but it went even better than I’d expected,’ says Lynne. ‘It was just one small cut through the belly button, as opposed to three or four incisions normally associated with a hysterectomy. And instead of needing six or more weeks off work, I took only three – and in fact I could have returned to work earlier,’ Lynne says.

    ‘The other benefits associated with SILS are minimal pain and virtually no scarring. I have a slight redness at the site but when I look in the mirror it certainly doesn’t look like I’ve recently had major surgery.’

    A small incision in the navel is made to allow surgical instruments to be inserted and the entire hysterectomy is performed through this incision. Associate Professor Pather is excited about the success of Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery and what it means for future patients.

    ‘This procedure offers a safe and effective option for hysterectomies with an excellent cosmetic outcome,’ he says. ‘There are some conditions – it is only suitable for women who are generally slim and have a small uterus, and specialised equipment is required along with an assistant experienced in this type of surgery – however there are numerous benefits for the patient. With an abdominal incision a hospital stay of 4-5 days is necessary with up to six weeks recovery time. SILS allows patients to leave hospital sooner, recover faster and avoid abdominal scarring.’

    Associate Professor Pather will continue to recommend the procedure for suitable patients.