PROCEDURES AND SURGERY WE UNDERTAKE

Expert and experienced surgeons will provide a comprehensive range of cutting-edge procedures and operative treatments for your gynaecological needs.

For some conditions, minor surgery under local anaesthesia may be required. If an overnight stay or more complex surgery is planned, we are able to offer a choice of local hospitals.

Treatment within women’s health is one of the most rapidly advancing technological areas of medicine. In keeping with this, much of the treatment offered utilises minimally invasive techniques, which often result in a shorter inpatient stay and recovery period. Where possible, we endeavour to use such (keyhole) techniques, to reduce pain after surgery and ensure a rapid return to normal activities.

Whichever procedure you may be considering, please rest assured that we have a keen understanding of the very personal decision you are about to make or have already made. We offer you total discretion and privacy at all times, to ensure that you are fully informed and happy with everything, leading right up to the day your procedure is performed and beyond.

Diagnostic Procedures

• Laparoscopy
• Hysteroscopy
• Cystoscopy
• Smears and colposcopy
• Scanning
• Hysterosalpingography
• Ovarian age (reserve) testing
• Sperm test
• Urodynamics testing

Gynaecology Cancer Surgery

• Ovarian/Uterine/Cervical/Vulval Cancer
• Fertility sparing operation – Trachelectomy
• Laparoscopic Wertheim’s
• Hysterectomy
• Genetic risk reducing surgery
• Surgery for recurrent cancer (Exenteration)
• Colposcopy and Loop Conisation

Laparoscopic Pelvic Surgery

• Hysterectomy
• Ovarian cystectomy / Oopherectomy
• Laparoscopic treatment of Endometriosis
• Hysteroscopy and treatment of menstrual dysfunction
• Endometrial ablation
• Polypectomy

Incontinence Surgery

• Tension free vaginal tape (TVT) operation
• Transobturator tape (TOT) operation
• Colposuspension
• Bladder neck injection
• Botox injection into bladder

Vaginal and Uterine Prolapse

• Vaginal hysterectomy
• Vaginal repair
• Colposacropexy / Sacrohysteropexy
• Mesh vaginal repairs
• Colpocleisis

Fertility

• Myomectomy
• Resection of fibroids
• Reconstructive surgery
• Tubal microsurgery
• Endometriosis excision
• Ovarian drilling
• Adhesiolysis
• Salpingectomy
• Salpingostomy

PRICES AND CHARGES

Our prices are listed below. The overall cost of treatment is dependent on your individual case. The fee is always fully explained and detailed prior to the start of the treatment.

Consultations

Private consultation (30 min): £150
Follow up consultation within one month (30 min): £130
Repeat prescription within 6 months: £100

Well Woman checks

Level 1 health screen: £300
Level 2 health screen: £400
Level 3 health screen: £550

Cervical cancer screen: £125
Ovarian cancer screen: £250
Mini sexual health screen: £125
Full sexual health screen: £300
Fertility screen: £270

Gynaecology scans

Transvaginal scan: £160
Abdominal scan: £160

Abnormal Smear & Colposcopy

Colposcopy: £150 (+ Consultation: £150)
Cervical biopsy: £120
Loop Excision (LLETZ) under local anaesthesia: £450 (+ Pathology: £300)

Fertility

Ovulation scan: £130
Endometrial thickness scan: £130
Follicle tracking scan: £130
Fertility ovarian reserve scan: £160
Fertility screen ultrasound scan and blood test + short consultation: £300

Pregnancy scans by consultant

Pregnancy confirmation scan: £160
Early pregnancy scan for viability and dating: £160
Gender scan from as early as 12 weeks with 99% accuracy: £500
Gender scan after 16 weeks with 100% accuracy: £120
Fetal anomaly scan (between 18 to 20 weeks): £250
Growth scan: £180

Sexual Health

Mini sexual health screen: £125
Full sexual health screen: £300
Cervical smear: £110
HPV test: £105
Herpes swab: £70
Herpes blood test: £70

Are the cost covered by my medical insurance?

Gynaecology care is normally covered by private health insurance but please check with your provider. If your insurance company has approved the procedure required, simply inform us your policy and authorization numbers before the treatment begins. For Obstetrics, private health insurance usually won’t cover pregnancy scans.

How can I pay?

After your treatment is completed, you can pay by cash or credit card. If you have provided us with an approval or authorization code from your medical insurance company, to cover the various aspects of your treatments, then we will approach your medical insurance.

Hysteroscopy is a procedure which uses a thin tube-like telescope to see inside the uterus. It can also allow doctors to do some minor operations to the uterus. Note: the information below is a general guide only. The arrangements, and the way tests are performed, may vary between different hospitals. Always follow the instructions given by your doctor or local hospital.

What is a hysteroscopy?

Hysteroscopy is a procedure that lets your doctor look inside your uterus (womb). This is done using a narrow tube-like instrument called a hysteroscope. The hysteroscope is very slim (about 3 to 5 millimetres in diameter). It’s carefully passed through the vagina and cervix (neck of the uterus) and into your uterus. The hysteroscope has a video camera inside which sends pictures to a computer screen. This allows your doctor to check for any abnormalities in the lining of the uterus. The hysteroscope has special channels which allow the doctor to pass various instruments into the uterus. This means that as well as being able to look inside the uterus, the doctor can perform certain procedures.

What is hysteroscopy used for?

A hysteroscopy may be used to find the cause of various problems such as:

• Heavy or irregular bleeding that has not got better with medication.
• Bleeding in-between periods.
• Bleeding after your menopause.
• Irregular bleeding whilst you are taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
• If you are thinking about having an operation to make your periods less heavy (endometrial ablation or microwave ablation).
• Unexplained miscarriages.

As well as being used to investigate the cause of various problems, it can also be used to:

• Remove polyps – small lumps of tissue growing on the lining of the uterus.
• Remove scar tissue in the uterus.
• Remove adhesions (areas where the walls of the uterus are sticking together).
• Remove fibroids (noncancerous growths in the uterus).
• Locate a ‘lost’ or stuck contraceptive device, such as an IUD (coil).

Before you have the procedure your doctor will talk to you about the test. Your doctor may discuss a number of different treatment options with you. This is because it may be possible to treat the cause of your symptoms immediately, using the hysteroscope. In order to do this you must consent (agree) to the treatment. It is up to you to decide which treatment option is best for you.

What happens during a hysteroscopy?

In some hospitals you may have an ultrasound scan before you have the hysteroscopy. A hysteroscopy can either be done under general anaesthetic, which means you will be asleep during the procedure, or with a local anaesthetic. If you have a local anaesthetic you will be awake. You may be given a sedative which won’t put you to sleep but may help you feel more relaxed. If you have a local anaesthetic you may be asked if you wish to see the pictures coming from the hysteroscope. Some people do not wish to do this, but others find it helpful.

Your doctor may use a speculum (the same instrument used in a cervical screening test) so that he or she can see the cervix (neck of the uterus). Then the doctor passes the hysteroscope through the cervix into the uterus.

The hysteroscope is connected to a camera and a TV screen, which show the inside of the uterus. Some gas or fluid may be pumped into the uterus to make it expand. This makes it easier to see the lining of the uterus. After this, the doctor may take a biopsy (tiny piece of tissue from the uterus). This will be sent to the laboratory for examination under the microscope. Sometimes polyps are found and it may be possible to remove these during the test. After the procedure is completed the hysteroscope is gently removed. A hysteroscopy takes between 10-30 minutes. If you are awake you may feel something like period cramps at some stages. A lot of women feel no discomfort, or only minimal discomfort.

What should I do to prepare for a hysteroscopy?

Your local hospital should give you guidance on what to do before a hysteroscopy. If you are having a hysteroscopy with local anaesthetic, you will not usually need any special preparation. If you are having a general anaesthetic you will be asked not to eat and drink for a number of hours before the procedure. Your hospital should give you information on this.

What can I expect after a hysteroscopy?

If you have general anaesthetic, you will need to rest until the effects of the anaesthetic have passed. You will need to arrange for someone to drive you home. You should try to have a friend or relative stay with you for the first 24 hours. If you have a local anaesthetic, you will usually be able to go home after a short rest. You should feel well enough to walk, travel by bus or train – or to drive home, providing you haven’t been given a sedative.

You may experience some period-like cramps and mild bleeding. The bleeding is usually mild and should settle within seven days. To reduce the risk of infection you should use sanitary towels rather than tampons. Take it easy for the first one or two days and take painkillers as needed.

Are there any side effects or complications from a hysteroscopy?

The most common side-effects of the procedure are bleeding and pain, as mentioned above. Very rarely it is possible that a small hole may be made in the uterus by the hysteroscope. If this happens you would need to stay in hospital overnight. It is also possible, although not common, to develop an infection of the uterus as a result of hysteroscopy. You should contact your doctor if you develop any problems such as:

• A temperature.
• Increased unexplained pain not relieved with painkillers.
• Increased discharge, which is smelly and unpleasant.
• Heavy bleeding.

Many woman experience problems like heavy bleeding during their periods; prolonged periods with a lot of bleeding; or bleeding between periods. One of the ways of dealing with these problems is to remove or destroy the lining (endometrium) of the womb (uterus). This is called endometrial ablation.

It is done when it is not possible to identify a specific, potentially treatable, cause for the heavy bleeding such as the presence of polyps which are non-cancerous growths that form on the lining of the womb that can sometimes bleed a lot or a hormone problem which can also sometimes cause a lot of bleeding. When a specific cause cannot be found, endometrial ablation is a very good option to correct the problem.

The Operation

It is possible that for a period of time before the operation (sometimes up to two months) you will need to take medications (possibly in the form of injections) that will decrease the thickness of the lining of the womb. This will make the operation easier as it will reduce the blood loss during the operation and increase the chances of success. The operation can be done as a day surgery case. This means that you can go home the same day of the operation usually a few hours after it is completed.

The operation lasts between 30 and 45 minutes. The operation is usually carried out under general anaesthetic. This means that you will be asleep and unconscious and you will not feel pain during the procedure. he operation starts with a hysteroscopy which allows the surgeon to have a look in the womb by using a special telescope which is connected to a TV monitor. The telescope (and any other instruments that are needed during the operation) is entered into the womb by passing it first through the vagina and then through the cervix which is the entrance of the womb lying in the deep part of the vagina.

Although the modern telescopes used in such procedures are very thin, in most cases, the surgeon will need to dilate (widen/open up) the cervix by using a special device so that he can pass the telescope or other instruments into the womb. The inside of the womb is a collapsed cavity and the surgeon needs to inflate it by using a special liquid so that he can see everything clearly.

The lining of the womb can be destroyed by using many different techniques. The most common one is by using the wire loop of an electrocautery device. This is a device that burns the lining of the womb and at the same time stops any bleeding. (

Another commonly used method is the insertion in the womb of a triangular balloon which when inflated has the shape of the cavity of the womb. The balloon is inflated with fluid which is then heated for several minutes and eventually destroys the lining of the womb. (Balloon Ablation)

Freezing techniques, microwaves or laser ablation have also been used, but there is no clear proof that they offer any substantial advantages compared to the traditional methods.

Alternatives to Endometrial Ablation

If you leave things as they are the bleeding related to your periods, although not directly life threatening, will continue to severely affect the quality of your life. The only alternative to endometrial ablation is a hysterectomy which is an operation to remove the womb. This obviously offers a definitive solution to the problem but is a relatively big operation, and more difficult and complicated compared to endometrial ablation.

In most cases it is recommended that a patient has an endometrial ablation first and if this doesn’t work to then consider a hysterectomy. You have to remember that an ablation can affect your fertility (ability to stay pregnant) and obviously it is not an operation you should have if you still want to have children.

In addition, you should not have the operation if there is any suspicion that you might have cancer in the womb. In this situation you will clearly need more radical/extensive treatment such as a hysterectomy.

Before the operation

1. Stop smoking and get your weight down if you are overweight. If you know that you have problems with your blood pressure, your heart, or your lungs, ask your family doctor to check that these are under control.
2. Check you have a relative or friend who can come with you to the hospital, take you home, and look after you for the first week after the operation.
3. Sort out any tablets, medicines, inhalers that you are using. Keep them in their original boxes and packets. Bring them to the hospital with you.
4. On the ward, you will be checked for past illnesses and will have special tests to make sure that you are well prepared and can have the operation as safely as possible. Please tell the doctors and nurses of any allergies to tablets, medicines or dressings.
5. You will have the operation explained to you and will be asked to fill in an operation consent form. Before you sign the consent form, make sure that you fully understand all the information that was given to you regarding your health problems, the possible and proposed treatments and any potential risks. Feel free to ask more questions if things are not entirely clear.
6. Any tissues that are removed during the operation will be sent for tests to help plan the appropriate treatment. Any remaining tissue that is left over after the tests will be discarded.
7. Before the operation and as part of the consent process, you may be asked to give permission for any ’left over’ pieces to be used for medical research that have been approved by the hospital. It is entirely up to you to allow this or not.
8. Many hospitals now run special preadmission clinics, where you visit a week or so before the operation, where these checks will be made.

After – in hospital

You will have a sanitary pad in place. The drugs given for a general anaesthetic will make you clumsy, slow and forgetful for about 24 hours. The nurses will help you with everything you need until you can do things for yourself. Do not make any important decisions, do not drive, do not use machinery at work or at home, do not even boil a kettle during this time.

Any pain will usually settle quickly after you have been to the operating theatre. But you may be left with some tummy discomfort. Take the painkillers you would normally use for painful periods. Although rare, you may need injections of painkillers to control the pain. For about a week or two you will experience slight bleeding similar to the kind you get at end of a period. You should only use external pads for any loss. Do not use tampons.

You can start taking the contraceptive pill the day after the operation, even if you are bleeding. You can bathe or shower as often as you wish. The nurses will advise about sick notes, certificates, etc.

Even though the ablation will most likely affect your ability to stay pregnant there is still a very small possibility that you can get pregnant within a few weeks of the procedure and you should use appropriate contraception if you do not want to conceive. You can resume sex three weeks after the procedure, as long as you are not experiencing any bleeding or discharge.

Possible complications

If you have the operation under general anaesthetic there is a very small risk of complications related to your heart or your lungs. The tests that you will have before the operation will make sure that you can have the operation in the safest possible way and will bring the risk for such complications very close to zero. An endometrial ablation is a routine and safe procedure. Complications are rare, they happen in about 1 to 2 per cent of cases but they can sometimes be serious.

1. Very rarely, you can have a reaction to the liquid that is used to inflate the cavity of the womb. This must be recognised promptly and can usually be controlled with medication.
2. It is possible that after the procedure you can get an infection inside the womb. Sometimes the infection spreads to the Fallopian tubes which connect your ovaries to the womb or even to the rest of your pelvis (the lower part of your abdomen where your womb is situated). If this happens, you will need antibiotics given via a very thin plastic tube placed in one of your arm veins (small draining blood pipe) to control the infection. This might need to be done in hospital if the infection is serious and spreads outside the womb.
3. Finally, relatively rarely, the instruments used during the procedure can cause a hole in the womb and may even damage other organs around the womb such as the bowel and large blood vessels. If this happens you will need another operation to fix the problem.

The operation is very often successful. Most studies show that 80 to 90 per cent of women are very pleased with the result. About half of them have no periods and the rest experience only light bleeds. However, the same studies show that five years after the operation, about one third of women will require another procedure for the same problem and this second procedure is frequently a hysterectomy.

Hysterectomy is the operation to remove the womb (uterus). The female reproductive organs are made up of a womb, vagina, Fallopian tubes and ovaries. The womb is about the size of a pear. It is made of specialised muscle and lies in the pelvis between the bladder and the bowel. Hysterectomy is the removal of the womb by an operation.

Indications for Hysterectomy

Possible reasons include the following:

1. Heavy or very painful periods. In some women, day-to-day life is made difficult because of heavy periods. Sometimes the heavy bleeding can cause anaemia. There are various other treatment options for heavy periods, including tablets and an intrauterine system (Mirena® coil). If they don’t improve the problem, hysterectomy is an option for treatment. See separate leaflet called ‘Heavy Periods (Menorrhagia)’ for further information.
2. Fibroids. These are swellings of abnormal muscle that grow in the womb. Fibroids are common and often do not cause any symptoms. However, in some women they can cause heavy or painful periods. Some fibroids are quite large and can press on the bladder to cause urinary symptoms. See separate leaflet called ‘Fibroids’ for further information.
3. Prolapse. This is where the uterus or parts of the vaginal wall drop down. This may happen after the menopause when the tissues which support the uterus tend to become thinner and weaker.
4. Endometriosis. This is a condition where the cells which line the uterus are found outside the uterus in the pelvis. This can cause scarring around the uterus, and may cause the bladder or rectum to stick to the uterus or Fallopian tubes. Endometriosis may cause only mild symptoms, but some women develop painful periods, abdominal pain or have pain during sex. See separate leaflet called ‘Endometriosis’ for further information.
5. Cancer. Hysterectomy may be advised if you develop cancer of the cervix, uterus, Fallopian tubes or ovaries.

For most of the conditions mentioned above (apart from cancer), hysterectomy is usually considered a last resort after other treatments have failed. The decision to have a hysterectomy should be shared between you, (your partner) and your doctor. Before a hysterectomy, make sure that any questions or worries you have are dealt with. For example, the following three questions are common and only you or your doctor will be able to answer:

• Are there any other alternative treatments that have not been tried?
• Are my symptoms and problems severe enough to need a hysterectomy?
• Do I still want to have children? (If you are considering hysterectomy before the menopause.)

Kinds of hysterectomy

There are different types of hysterectomy operations:

• Total hysterectomy is the operation in which your uterus and cervix are removed. The ovaries are usually left. However, if they are removed, this is called a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO). Total hysterectomy can be done through a cut in the lower abdomen (Total Abdominal Hysterectomy) or through vaginal access (Vaginal Hysterectomy). A vaginal approach may be used if the uterus is not greatly enlarged, and if the reason for the surgery is not related to cancer. Studies have shown that vaginal hysterectomy has fewer complications, requires a shorter hospital stay, and allows a faster recovery compared to removal of the uterus through an abdominal incision (abdominal hysterectomy).
• Subtotal hysterectomy is when your uterus is removed but the cervix is left.
• Radical hysterectomy (also called Wertheim’s hysterectomy) is when the whole womb, cervix, Fallopian tubes and ovaries, part of the vagina and lymph glands are removed. This operation is done for cancer.

The womb may be removed either through a cut in the abdomen (usually leaving a scar in the bikini area) or through the vagina, which means you will not have a visible scar. Sometimes the hysterectomy is done by using keyhole surgery. It is worth discussing the way the operation is to be done with your gynaecologist.

Will my ovaries be removed?

Your doctor may remove your ovaries at the same time. The decision to remove your ovaries depends on the reason for doing the hysterectomy. You should discuss the pros and cons of removing the ovaries during a hysterectomy with your gynaecologist. Current recommendations are that healthy ovaries should not be removed at the time of hysterectomy. Removing the ovaries at the time of hysterectomy reduces the risk of ovarian cancer. However, women who have had their ovaries removed have also been found to have an increased risk of developing heart conditions (like angina).

If your ovaries are removed, you may be advised to take hormone replacement treatment (HRT). This is because, once your ovaries are removed, you will go through the menopause. If you are under 50 years old and have your ovaries removed then you should discuss with your doctor about taking HRT. All women under the age of 50 years benefit from taking HRT, without being exposed to the risks of HRT. Any risks of HRT are only relevant for women over the age of 50 years. If your ovaries are not removed, you still have a 1 in 3 chance of going through the menopause within two years of having the hysterectomy. If you experience symptoms which may be related to the menopause, for example hot flushes, mood swings, etc, do discuss them with your doctor.

Will having a hysterectomy affect my sex life?

Removing your womb should not stop you having a good sex life after the operation. In fact, many women report an improvement in their sexual pleasure after having a hysterectomy. This may be because the reason for having a hysterectomy (pain, prolonged heavy bleeding, etc) is removed. However, some women feel that a hysterectomy impairs their sex life. In particular, some women feel that their orgasm is different after a hysterectomy or even have difficulty reaching orgasm. Having a hysterectomy should not affect your sex drive (libido) unless your ovaries are also removed. You can usually begin to have sex again about six weeks after the operation. You obviously will no longer need to use any form of contraception after a hysterectomy.

How will I feel straight after the operation?

You will be given painkillers for the first few days, both whilst in hospital and also to take home with you. You will be able to eat and drink within a few hours of having the operation. You are likely to have a catheter (a thin tube going into your bladder, which drains urine) in for a couple of days or so. It is very common to have some light bleeding from the vagina, which can last for up to six weeks. If you have any stitches then they are usually removed between 5 and 7 days after your operation.

How long will it be before I can return to normal?

This varies from person to person. Recovery is usually faster if you have had the hysterectomy through the vagina. You are likely to need to rest more than usual for a few weeks after the operation. You are likely to be recommended to do light exercise and gradually build up the amount of exercise you do. Full recovery commonly takes around 6-8 weeks but it is not unusual for women to take three months until they feel fully back to normal.

You should not drive until you are safe to do an emergency stop. This is usually around six weeks after the operation but you should check with your insurance company. The time before you can return to work will depend on your job. You can discuss this with your doctor or gynaecologist.

Will I still need to have cervical screening tests?

Most women no longer need to have cervical screening tests after a hysterectomy. However, if you have had an operation that leaves your cervix in place, or because of cancer, then you may be advised to continue having cervical screening tests. Your doctor will advise you about this.

Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure which uses a special surgical instrument called a laparoscope to look inside the body, or to perform certain operations. Laparoscopy is a procedure to look inside your abdomen by using a laparoscope. A laparoscope is like a thin telescope with a light source. It is used to light up and magnify the structures inside the abdomen. A laparoscope is passed into the abdomen through a small incision (cut) in the skin.

A laparoscopy may be done to find the cause of symptoms such as abdominal pain, pelvic pain, or swelling of the abdomen or pelvic region. Or, it may be done if a previous test such as an X-ray or scan has identified a problem within the abdomen or pelvis. A laparoscopy enables a doctor to see clearly inside your abdomen. Some common conditions which can be seen by laparoscopy include:

• Endometriosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Ovarian cyst
• Appendicitis

What is laparoscopic surgery?

In addition simply to looking inside, a doctor can use fine instruments which are also passed into the abdomen through another small incision in the skin. These instruments are used to cut, trim, biopsy, grab, etc, inside the abdomen. This laparoscopic surgery is sometimes called ‘key-hole surgery’ or ‘minimal invasive surgery’. Laparoscopic surgery can be used for various procedures.

Some commonly performed operations include:

• Removal of the gallbladder. This is sometimes called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy or ‘lap choly’ for short. It is now the most common way for a gallbladder to be removed.
• Removal of the appendix.
• Removal of patches of endometriosis.
• Removal of parts of the intestines.
• Female sterilisation.
• Treating ectopic pregnancy.
• Taking a biopsy (small sample) of various structures inside the abdomen which can be looked at under the microscope and/or tested in other ways.

In general, compared with traditional surgery, with laparoscopic surgery there is usually:

• Less pain following the procedure.
• Less risk of complications.
• A shorter hospital stay and a quicker recovery.
• A much smaller scar.

How is it done?

Laparoscopy and laparoscopic surgery are usually done whilst you are asleep under general anaesthesia. The skin over the abdomen is cleaned. The surgeon or gynaecologist then makes a small incision (cut) about 1-2 cm long near to the navel (belly button). Some gas is injected through the cut to ‘blow out’ the abdominal wall slightly. This makes it easier to see the internal organs with the laparoscope which is gently pushed through the incision into the abdominal cavity. The surgeon or gynaecologist then looks down the laparoscope or looks at pictures on a TV monitor connected to the laparoscope.

If you have a surgical procedure, one or more separate small incisions are made in the abdominal skin. These allow thin instruments to be pushed into the abdominal cavity. The surgeon or gynaecologist can see the ends of these instruments with the laparoscope and so can perform the required procedure. When the surgeon or gynaecologist is finished, the laparoscope and other instruments are removed. The incisions are stitched and dressings are applied.

What preparation do I need to do?

As you will usually be under a general anaesthetic, your hospital should give you instructions about fasting before the operation. Depending on the reason for your operation there may be more specific instructions. Your doctor will give you this information if necessary.

After a laparoscopy?

You may feel a little sore around the incisions. You may have some pain in your shoulder tip. This is caused by the gas which had been pumped inside irritating the diaphragm which has the same nerve supply as the shoulder tip. This pain soon passes off. The length of time to recover can vary, depending on why the procedure was done and what operations were performed.

Possible complications from a laparoscopy?

There may be some minor bleeding or bruising around the skin incisions. Otherwise, in most cases a laparoscopy just to look inside’ goes without any problem. Possible problems which may occur include the following:

• Accidental damage to structures inside the abdomen, such as the intestines or certain blood vessels. This is rare but, if it occurs, an emergency traditional (open) operation may be needed to correct the damage.
• As with any operation, there is a small risk of complications of anaesthesia.
• Occasionally, the incision becomes infected which may require a course of antibiotics.

If you have laparoscopic surgery, the risk of complications may increase, depending on what operation is performed.