Vaginal Surgery
At Northwell Urogynecology, we offer a variety of minimally-invasive vaginal surgeries. Recovery from these procedures are rarely painful, but they generally require an overnight stay in the hospital. After vaginal surgery, you will need to abstain from certain activities—no heavy lifting, no sex, and no submerging in water (i.e., baths, hot tubs or swimming pools)—for a period of approximately six weeks. Read on to view some of the vaginal procedures we offer.
Vaginal Hysterectomy
This method involves the surgeon removing the uterus entirely through your vagina. It does not require any incisions, but cannot be done if your uterus is too large to be safely removed through the vagina.
Uterosacral Ligament Suspension
During a uterosacral suspension, a vaginal hysterectomy is first performed to remove the uterus. Then, the top of the vagina is lifted with sutures and attached to ligaments in the pelvis, returning the vagina to its normal position.
Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation
A sacrospinous suspension, also known as a sacrospinous ligament fixation, is a surgery that is performed to restore support to vaginal walls that have been affected by prolapse, or a bulging that occurs in the vagina. During this procedure, an incision is made in the vagina, and the vagina is lifted up and reattached to the sacrospinous ligament (a connective tissue in the body that is attached to the lower pelvis, bottom of the spine and tailbone) with stitches.
Cystocele Repair (Dropped Bladder)
This type of surgery lifts the bladder back into place by placing stitches in the top part of the vagina. A cystocele repair is commonly performed at the same time as a mid-urethral sling insertion for stress urinary incontinence.