Scared that she may have to remove her womb due to fibroids, a single mother has been searching for the past six months for a less risky procedure.
With the pain in her lower back becoming unbearable, coupled with heavy menstrual periods, Shirley (not her real) name was leaning towards doing the surgery which involves her tummy and womb being cut open and the fibroids removed.
Then, on Thursday night Shirley felt her prayers were answered when she saw an article in this newspaper about a hysteroscopic procedure done for the first time in T&T where fibroids and polyps were removed from patients at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) with no abdominal incision, no pain and no post-trauma or effects.
“I was reading the article last night online and it found it to be so interesting. I really don’t want to do the surgery because there is a possibility that I may have to do a hysterectomy and I don’t want to do that. And then the recuperating time might be about six weeks and I am a single parent I really don’t have anyone to help me. If I get a procedure that is non-surgical that will be perfect for me.”
Another woman said about ten years ago she paid about $30,000 to remove fibroids, but a few small ones were left inside her.
“Now, they have gotten big and I may have to take out my womb and I don’t want to do that. I was researching other procedures available in America and Canada when I saw the article in the Guardian I was so happy.”
The large tissue masses have caused her tummy to push out and it appears as though she is pregnant.
These two women were among several others who contacted the Guardian about having the procedure done.
With no cost to taxpayers, Bryden Pi Ltd and the Medtronic team flew in Puerto Rican Dr Juan Salgado, a gynaecologist who teaches doctors across the world how to use the machine, his team and the equipment into the country to demonstrate to local doctors how the procedure is done and teach them the technique.
The procedure was performed on three patients at the San Fernando General Hospital on Thursday and on six patients at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital on Friday. Salgado and his team left on a flight back to their country, but the equipment will remain here for two weeks.
Asked whether the Government intends to invest in medical equipment, Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh said, “First of all we are experimenting with the equipment as your article clearly stated. Once we are satisfied with it then we will purchase it for the public sector.”
Guardian Media was told that the equipment costs about $200,000.
Gynaecologic oncologist Dr Vishal Bahall, a consultant with the South West and North West Regional Health Authorities, advised women interested in the hysteroscopic procedure to visit their gynaecologist for an assessment to be done to determine whether the procedure is appropriate for them. “The equipment is here right now and they may be able to get it done,” said Bahall. Generally, about 15 surgeries are done per month to remove fibroids, he said.