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The Smaller the Better
An advanced laparoscopic surgery available at Jersey Shore gave this expectant mom peace of mind through her last months of pregnancy.
For 42-year-old Lauren Brown of Ocean Township, becoming pregnant on her honeymoon was a wonderful surprise. But during a routine ultrasound, Lauren heard some news that she will never forget: she had a cyst on her left ovary. Since the cyst was small, Lauren's doctor wanted to monitor it in the event that it would go away on its own.
When Lauren returned for a follow-up exam, however, the cyst had grown. It needed to be removed, along with her left ovary. "All I kept thinking was, 'What does this mean for my baby, and do I have cancer?' " Lauren says.
Weighing the Options
Lauren's doctor realized immediately that she needed specialized care and recommended the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. After consulting with the chair of the department, William Mann, Jr., M.D., she was given the choice between having advanced laparoscopic surgery in her second trimester of pregnancy or waiting until after her baby was born to have surgery.
Initially, Lauren wasn't sure what to do: "If it was up to me, I would have left the cyst and waited until after my baby was born. But after hearing the surgery was safe for me and my baby and the risks involved in waiting, I chose to have the surgery." And she chose to have the surgery performed by Dr. Mann right at Jersey Shore.
Small Incisions Lead to a Quicker Recovery
Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique that is conducted with the assistance of a video camera and several thin instruments. During a procedure like Lauren's, three small incisions are made, each less than an inch long, and then plastic tubes called "ports" are placed in these incisions. The camera and the instruments are introduced through the ports, which allow access to the inside of the body.
Next, the camera transmits an image of the organs inside the abdomen on to a television monitor. Since the surgeon is not able to see directly into the patient without the accessibility a traditional large incision affords, the video camera becomes the surgeon's eyes while performing the procedure.
According to OB/GYN Andrew Blechman, M.D., a urogynecology specialist who works with Dr. Mann at Jersey Shore and is very experienced in this type of procedure, the benefits of laparoscopic surgery are manifold, even during pregnancy. "Since Lauren was pregnant, visibility was limited inside her abdomen, so carbon dioxide was pumped into her abdomen to create extra space," he explains. "The advantages of this surgical approach are that it is performed as a same day surgery and the recovery time is a couple of days. With a traditional approach, in contrast, there is a large incision in the abdomen, and recovery time can be six to eight weeks."
All's Well That Ends Well
Lauren's surgery revealed that her cyst was benign. Happily, she and her baby were healthy — a fact that freed her to prepare for her daughter's appearance in this world, which was expected on August 8. These days, all Lauren has to concentrate on is her latest news — the best kind of news: the recent arrival of little Sydney Marie.
 – Brenda Groeller
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