Together, we will look at many options as we create your treatment plan. We may find a surgical procedure helpful in maximizing your chances of a healthy pregnancy. All surgeries take place at the La Jolla Women’s Surgery Center, here in our building, or at UC San Diego Health System, and most are performed as outpatient procedures.
Egg Retrieval
An egg (oocyte) retrieval is a quick, minimally invasive procedure done under anesthesia that allows aspiration of follicular fluid to retrieve a woman’s eggs. This is a sterile process in which an ultrasound probe is introduced into the vagina. A needle guide attached to this probe will help the physician to direct a needle through the vaginal wall and into the ovary. The needle will be inserted once into the ovary and each follicle aspirated one after the other. The fluid is collected in a warm test tube and handed off to an embryologist in order to identify each egg under a microscope. This procedure usually results in little discomfort and most patients usually return to a normal routine within a day or two.
Hysteroscopy
A Hysteroscopy is a procedure done under anesthesia that allows for visualization into the uterine cavity. With assistance from abdominal ultrasound and dilatation of the cervix, the physician introduces a thin, camera device known as a hysteroscope past the cervix and into the uterus. This device is like a telescope that can ‘see’ into the uterus and even capture images that you will be able to view after your procedure.
Once inside the uterine cavity the physician may want to remove adhesions or polyps; a number of devices can be used for this but we use a morcellator device most often. This morcellator, shaped thin like the hysteroscope, essentially ‘shaves’ off polyps or fibroids from the internal uterine wall in a fairly quick manner. Patients may experience a minimal amount of bleeding and possibly mild uterine cramping in the recovery stage.
Dilation and Curettage
A D&C performed under anesthesia to treat various conditions including uterine bleeding or contained tissue after a miscarriage. While in surgery your physician will use surgical instruments called “dilators” to gently dilate your cervix. Once dilated, different surgical instruments or a manual vacuum device is used to remove tissue or other abnormalities from your uterus. A D&C is relatively quick and may result in mild to moderate uterine cramping and possibly mild bleeding. Patients are usually able to return to normal activity in a day or two.