Author Archives: Anthony Miller

The Use Of Laparoscopy And Robotic Surgery In Benign Hysterectomies

Thirty years ago, if a woman had to have a hysterectomy, she had no choice but to undergo major abdominal surgery. This entailed a large incision and subsequent scarring, a several-day hospital stay, and a lengthy recovery period. However, since the first laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed in 1989, minimally invasive procedures have become increasingly common. Consequently, many patients can now opt for faster, lower-risk methods of surgery. Currently, doctors and researchers are exploring the potential of robotic surgery to provide better outcomes for patients who need a benign hysterectomy.

Minimally Invasive Alternatives To Abdominal Surgery

There are two standard types of minimally invasive alternatives to abdominal surgery for a benign hysterectomy: vaginal and laparoscopic surgery. Neither is recommended when large tumors need to be removed or when there is suspicion of invasive cancer. A benign hysterectomy, however, can be performed either through the vaginal opening or through very small “keyhole” incisions in the abdomen. Laparoscopy involves the insertion of a thin cable with a camera at the end to guide the procedure without requiring a large incision. The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide, an easily absorbed and vented gas, in order to provide a clear view. Vaginal surgery may be performed manually or with laparoscopic assistance.

Benefits Of Laparoscopic Surgery

The main benefits to the patient of laparoscopic and other minimally invasive procedures are shorter hospital stays, reduced pain, a lower risk of infection, less blood loss, less scarring, and a faster recovery time. Traditionally, abdominal surgery requires a two to three-day hospital stay, while laparoscopic surgery is frequently offered as an outpatient procedure. Because the incisions are very small, patients experience relatively little blood loss and have only minimal scarring afterwards. The small incisions also cause much less pain during the recovery period, allowing patients to resume normal activities much more quickly than with traditional surgery. The risk of infection is limited by the fact that the internal organs are only minally exposed to potential contaminants, and complications occur in only about 5% of patients.

Robotic Procedures

The latest development in minimally invasive surgery is the use of robotics technology to allow the doctor to operate remotely. A robotic surgical system has four main components: a control console where the surgeon sits, a cart with multiple interactive arms that hold surgical tools, an imaging system that provides a 3D view, and flexible tools that mimic the doctor’s hand movements via a computer interface. The robotic system is capable of performing all the functions of a surgeon and an assistant, including cutting, exploring, suctioning excess fluid, and suturing the incision. While the surgeon sits at the console some distance away from the patient, an assistant surgeon is present at the patient’s side to exchange tools as needed.

Benefits Of Robot-Assisted Surgery

As with other minimally invasive procedures, patients who undergo a benign hysterectomy via a robotic procedure benefit from a shorter hospital stay, less pain and scarring, and a faster return to normal activities. One of the particular benefits of a robotic surgical system is that it provides the surgeon with a wider and clearer view than he or she would be able to obtain through open surgery or a standard laparoscopic procedure. In addition, the technology allows the doctor to perform surgery without scrubbing in or risking potential contamination to the patient from an accidentally ruptured glove.

Recent Findings And Recommendations For Robot-Assisted Surgery

Up to now, studies have not demonstrated that robotic procedures provide better outcomes than standard laparoscopy. One factor that plays a significant role in the success of a robot-assisted procedure is the training and experience of the doctor. Researchers argue that the technology needs further study and that competency metrics and quality guidelines need to be established. While some doctors are eager to adopt cutting edge technology, others are waiting for more data to come in.

Thanks to the development of laparoscopic and robotic technology, the need for open surgery has been significantly reduced. Any patient whose gynecologist or ob/gyn recommends a hysterectomy should find out whether a minimally invasive procedure is an option.

For follow-up, contact Bedford Ob/Gyn doctors, Drs Mary Parker and Beverly Wood. These two ladies are extremely well trained, and have a compassionate way about them in helping ladies with their health concerns.

Home Security Advice for Single Women

If you’re a female who is living alone, home security is likely very important to you. There are measures you can take that will give you peace of mind. Keep reading to find out more.

If you are a female and living alone, it’s understandable that you may feel afraid about home invasions. People are more likely to try to take advantage of women. Try placing a pair of big, muddy boots on your front step to give the appearance of a man staying in the house.

There are cheaper alternatives to installing a home security system that deters criminals from breaking into your home. Simply putting up a fence or a “large dog” sign can help immensely. Criminals want to make the process as simple as possible for themselves, so dealing with a large dog would deter them.

Choose a deadbolt lock over a spring-latch lock. The spring-latch lock is much easier for burglars that are experienced in “loiding.” Loiding refers to the method where a plastic card like a credit card is slipped against the latch tongue in order to depress it, which will unlock your door. The deadbolt will prevent an attack like this. Deadbolts are vulnerable only when there is plenty of space in between your door and your door frame for intruders to use hacksaws or power tools.

Your dog can safeguard an extra key. This only makes sense if your dog is outdoors a lot or you have a pet door. Keep a spare key around the dog’s collar.

Security systems are more than just an alarm. Most of them can be programmed to alert you to anyone entering your home. This is useful for parents who have small kids, as it helps keep them from leaving the house.

When you’re going away, turn off your phone ringers. A phone which rings forever is a sign to burglars that you’re not there.

Get to know your neighbors. Your neighbors are a valuable resource that can help keep an eye on your home when you cannot. When neighbors watch out for each other, you can be alerted if anything suspicious is occurring. Keep an ear out for neighborhood gossip too! If you hear about houses in your area being broken into, it might be time to step up security.

Keep your car in your garage. Protect your car from vandals by keeping it in the garage. Besides, intruders will have a hard time determining whether or not you are home if you keep your car inside your garage.

Be aware of what’s being talked about in the neighborhood. The more you know about the people you live near, the more you can be sure of your home’s overall security. You may here something strange through the grapevine. But beyond that, all your newfound neighbor friends make excellent watchdogs for keeping your property safe!

Broken windows can cause the cold to get into your house. Worse, it is an open invitation for a burglar to enter your home. So, if one of your windows is broken, be sure to have fixed right away. The same applies to broken front doors, back doors, and garage doors.

Walls make the perfect hiding spot. Keep small, valuable items inside the walls of your home. Just open up an electrical outlet or a phone jack that is not in use. If you have no unused plates, you can easily install false ones.

Lock up your home, even if you are around. Many people think that their neighborhood is the safest out there. They’ll leave their doors unlocked all day (and night long) without a second thought! This is inviting trouble. Make it a habit to lock those doors (and windows) even if you’re home. It’s probably the most important basic thing you can do for your family’s overall safety.

To reduce the chances of a home invasion at night, make sure you have proper lighting. Burglars try to use darkness as a cover to avoid getting caught. Outdoor lighting can make it look like you’re home and can also make it harder for intruders to sneak around unseen. If you are on a trip, try having a timer set for the lights to come on and go off at specific times to make it harder for them to tell if you’re home or not.

Put down a fence in your yard to secure the area that is yours and prevent burglars from coming in. Make sure that this fence is high enough so that it is very difficult for any robbers to get over it. This will add a strong layer of protection around the perimeter of your house.

If there is space around your door within its frame, shore it up with .75″ plywood. If wood won’t do it, try using sheet metal instead. When there is a gap, the burglar can easily jimmy open the door, so close up the space and ensure that no one will be able to get inside.

If someone comes to your door telling you that they represent a particular company, make sure that you ask them for some type of ID. It is very common for thieves to use tricks like this to gain access to your home. Also, keep people at the door and avoid letting them in.

Making your home a safe place to be does not necessarily require lots of money or inconvenience. There are cheaper alternatives that can keep criminals at bay. Keep this information in mind if you want your home to feel safer.

Important Pest Control Advice

If your home is plagued by pests, you know what a nuisance these pests can be. They interfere with your life and your regular activities. They cause embarrassment when you entertain at home. If you want solutions on how to control your pest problem, read this article for some helpful ideas.

Do you have a problem with fruit flies? You can get rid of them with a little apple cider vinegar! Pour some vinegar into the bottom of a tall glass. Add a little bit of dish soap. The fruit flies will swim into the glass, but won’t be able to swim out, and will drown.

Never step on a cockroach to kill it. When you step on it, it can release its egg sac. The eggs can then be transferred from the bottom of your shoes throughout the carpets and rugs in your home. The eggs survive in your carpet until they are ready to hatch, leaving you with a much bigger roach problem.

Check to see if you have any centipedes around the house. Centipedes usually will prey on other bugs, so if you have a lot of them, you may be infested. In this case, the best thing that you can do is to hire a professional to help get rid of the issue in your home.

You can keep ants away from the inside of your home using a mixture of sugar and borax. Start by mixing one cup of sugar and one cup of borax into a quart jar. Then, punch some holes in that jar’s lid. Sprinkle it near the baseboards inside your house and around the outside. The ants will eat the sugar and the borax will poison them.

Eliminate pests naturally. Sometimes you don’t need to resort to chemicals to control pests. Removing sources of water, food and shelter is one way to get rid of them. This is particularly effective in the case of rodents. If you have pets, don’t leave food or water bowls outside, and ensure that you don’t have any holes or cracks in the exterior of your home.

Mint can be useful in dealing with mice. Plant mint plants around the foundation of your home. This makes your home less than desirable to mice. When you sprinkle mint leaves in various areas of your home, it will keep mice away. Fresh mint leaves work the best to deter mice since their smell is the strongest.

Outdoor lights can be great, but they can also attract lots of pests. Outdoor lighting consisting of orange, yellow and/or pink bulbs will not attract so many pests.

Termites can be a major problem for any homeowner; they can eat away at your house. One way to prevent them from getting in is by using sealant in your basement. This is a prime spot for them to enter. The best part is that sealant is not expensive and is easy to put on yourself.

When the weather gets cool in the fall, outdoor pests will seek out your home as a source of warmth. Specifically bedbugs, bats and mice all will try to get into your home during the colder months. Make sure the exterior of your home is sealed so these pests can’t get inside.

Carpenter ants are attracted to damp wood; therefore, if you notice an increase in carpenter ants, check your pipes and roof for leaks. Once you have found where your problem is located, fix the leak and replace the wood to help quickly rid your home of carpenter ants. You may also want to call in a pest-control expert to treat your home.

Are you having a slug problem in your garden or yard? An easy fix for this issue is to simply place a pie plate of stale beer around the garden. The slugs love this and will crawl in and drown in the stale beer. This is an easy and cheap fix to a pesky slug problem.

If you follow the suggestions in this article, you do not have to live with your pests anymore. Take care of the problem as soon as you can, and do not wait. Putting it off will result in a bigger problem. Be diligent in your pest control, and you will have a healthier home.