Swagata Bhattacharjee (name changed on request) was suffering from gynaecological problems and was diagnosed with a tumour in the uterus. Doctors advised surgery for the removal of the tumour.

But instead of the conventional procedure — removing the uterus after making a large incision in the abdomen — Swagata underwent non-descent vaginal hysterectomy (NDVH), a “state-of-the art” minimal invasive surgery which allowed her to get back to normal life only 24 hours later.

With cases of uterine tumour and other complications of the uterus on the rise, patients are now opting for the new method.

In the new procedure, no incision is made in the abdomen and the uterus along with the tumour is removed through the vagina.

“Adrenaline mixed with saline water is injected through the vagina around the uterus, which relaxes the tissues and creates more space. The process is known as hydro-dissection. The tumour and the uterus are removed through the vagina with simple surgical instruments. The entire process takes around 30 minutes,” said Debashis Debangshi, a consultant gynaecologist and NDVH surgeon at Nightingale Diagnostic and Medicare Centre and AMRI Hospitals.

“Bleeding in NDVH is negligible. In the traditional method, there is much blood loss because of the large incision and patients take time to recover,” he added.

According to city-based gynaecologists, 10 to 15 per cent of gynaecological patients between the ages 30 and 50 years are suffering from uterine tumour. “With increasing number of cases, NDVH is proving to be very effective. The cost also goes down because of shorter hospitalisation,” said gynaecologist Bikash Banerjee.

Laparoscopic surgery, too, involves minimal incision and little blood loss, but it is expensive and at times leads to complications. “Toxic carbon dioxide, used to inflate the abdomen, remains in the body for three-and-a-half hours. This can put pressure on the heart and cause problems,” said Debangshi.