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Gynecologic Services

When to See a Gynecologist

In addition to an annual exam, you should make an appointment with a gynecologist if you experience any of these symptoms:

  • Heavy, painful, irregular, or missed periods
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Lower abdominal pain or cramping
  • Vaginal irritation or discharge
  • Painful intercourse or bleeding after intercourse
  • Lumps, thickening, or tenderness in your breasts
  • Involuntary urine leakage

Your gynecologist will discuss any problem with you and answer your questions to help you understand the situation and your options.

Surgery is always the last resort, but when it's necessary, be assured that gynecologists at Lake Hospital System offer the most advanced procedures. Those procedures include:

  • Laparoscopy and Microlaparoscopy, the use of small instruments to perform minimally invasive surgery to remove ovarian cysts, diagnose pelvic pain, perform tubal ligation, and evaluate infertility. Microlaparoscopy requires no stitches.
  • Uterine balloon therapy, an option for women with heavy, prolonged or painful periods, who desire an alternative to hysterectomy. In a simple, 20-minute procedure, the surgeon inserts a balloon-tipped catheter through the vagina and into the uterus. The balloon is filled with fluid, heated and removed after eight minutes. The heated fluid destroys the uterine lining. Discomfort is mild, and you may resume normal activity in two to three days. This procedure, which has an 80 percent success rate, is only for women who are not planning to become pregnant.
  • Endometrial Uterine Ablation, another alternative to hysterectomy for women with heavy, painful or prolonged periods. This vaginal procedure, recommended only if you do not plan to become pregnant, takes 30 to 45 minutes. The surgeon uses an electric current to destroy the uterine lining - the part that sheds each month. Your uterus remains intact, and you may go home the same day and return to normal activity in one to two weeks.
  • Hysteroscopy, a diagnostic and surgical procedure that allows the surgeon to see inside your uterus.
    Laser Surgery to treat precancerous dysplasia of the cervix and other benign conditions.
  • Tubal reversal surgery, a procedure to reverse tubal ligations. The procedure requires an abdominal incision and an overnight stay in the hospital; recovery is about four weeks. However, for the right candidate, the procedure is 80% to 90% effective.
  • TVT (tension-free vaginal tape), a minimally invasive procedure to help correct urinary incontinence. The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis; most women recover in just two weeks.

If you don't have a gynecologist, call the Best of Health Line at 440-953-6000 or 1-800-454-9800 for a physician referral.

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OB/GYN Paul Jones, MD, was the first physician in this area to perform TVT surgery, a minimally invasive procedure to correct stress urinary incontinence.