Bengaluru/ JULY 22, 2021 – India’s biggest conference of women endoscopic surgeons organized by the Indian Association of Gynaecological Endoscopists in association with KIAGE is being held in Bengaluru. The three-day event, called Eve Endoscopy, began on July 22, 2022. More than 400 women gynecologists from all over the country are participating, with another 500 attending the sessions online. The aim is to encourage women gynecologists in India to train themselves in endoscopy due to its immense benefits compared to traditional surgery.

Dr. CN Ashwath Narayan, the Hon’ble Minister of Electronics, IT – Biotechnology, Science & Technology, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Govt. of Karnataka, will be  the Chief Guest at the event on Sunday 24^th July,2022.

Said Dr. Bhaskar Pal, President, Indian Association of Gynaecological Endoscopists: “The Eve Endoscopy conference will go a long way in popularizing the procedure of endoscopy among women gynecologists in India. There are about 40,000 gynecologists in the country, but only a fraction of them know how to conduct endoscopy on patients. Our objective is to train more and more women gynecologists in this procedure due to the immense benefits keyhole surgeries offer to patients.”

Said Dr. Vidya V Bhat, Organizing Chairperson, Eve Endoscopy, and Medical Director, RadhaKrishna Multispecialty Hospital, Bengaluru: “More than 60 best women endoscopy surgeons from all over India will be conducting various kinds of surgery at the event for the benefit of participants, which will also be broadcast live. Endoscopy has a long learning curve, and it takes a while to master this technique. Keeping this in mind, the conference has skill enhancement sessions on all three days. Our purpose is to encourage and promote more and more women endoscopic surgeons in India, as most gynecologists in the country are women.”

Also Read: Hysterectomy should be the last resort for a woman 

Dr. Vidya V Bhat added: “The Conference will address endoscopic or minimally invasive procedures as the future of surgery. Endoscopy is a landmark in women’s health as it leads to faster recovery, no scar and less duration of hospital stay. It is a boon to working women who cannot be absent from work for long. The Eve Endoscopy conference is showcasing new endoscopic technologies for women’s health and the latest equipment available.”

This is the second edition of the Eve Endoscopy conference. The first one was held in Chennai last year. It is the first-ever event in the world aimed at encouraging endoscopy among women gynecologists.

The post Women Endoscopic Surgeons National Conference Begins in Bengaluru appeared first on Health Vision.

While hysterectomies have seen a reduction in Western countries with doctors favouring more conservative approaches, in India these have become the second most common procedure performed by obstetricians and gynaecologists after the caesarean section. The number of hysterectomies done in India continues to rise despite there being no concrete reason for conducting the procedure. Women are getting their uterus removed even in cases where the organ can be saved by other medical options. A significant number of hysterectomies done in India are unnecessary and may even be unethical.

About 70% of it in India are conducted in the private sector, with much higher rates in the less educated and rural population. More and more women in the country are getting this at a younger age, many of them being in their twenties. This is very concerning. In Karnataka, a study has found that nearly 50% of women who had undergone hysterectomy were less than 35 years of age. In Gujarat, the incidence is 20.7 per 1,000 women years, which is four times higher than in countries like USA and Germany.

Hysterectomy has serious health implications:

There are many reasons for unindicated hysterectomy, including patient-related factors like menstrual taboos, lack of social and financial security, lack of knowledge, and lack of access to primary healthcare. Many women regard reproduction as the sole function of the uterus and are easily convinced that hysterectomy is a permanent solution if they are not using any form of contraception. They do not realize that it has serious health implications. The abnormal rise in the incidence of hysterectomy shows that we as society are failing in improving women’s health.

Hysterectomy is not without side effects, with younger patients bearing the brunt.  Hysterectomised women see their ovarian reserve go down, which in turn causes skin dryness and decreased sexual desire. The surgery is often accompanied by removal of ovaries to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. There may be vaginal burning, increased urinary frequency and early onset of menopause. Women who have undergone hysterectomy tend to have increased incidence of heart disease and may also show symptoms of osteoporosis at an early age.

Women, mostly from poor socio-economic backgrounds, are often coaxed into it with the fear of cancer. In many instances, it is inappropriately recommended as the first line of treatment for minor gynaecological issues that may not directly be related to the uterus, such as lower abdominal pain, back ache or white discharge. Early marriage, closely spaced childbearing and early hysterectomy is a road map followed by many Indian women during their reproductive years.

Also Read: Poor intimate hygiene – the biggest causes of cervical cancer 

Hysterectomy should be the last resort for a woman

Many alternative methods of treatment to it today exist, including oral remedies, hormonal injections for excessive menstrual bleeding, and removal of just the fibroid and not the entire uterus. Regular cervical cancer screening will also help reduce the incidence. There is a dire need of counselling services for women regarding their reproductive health, the importance of uterus and the medical conditions that necessitate hysterectomy. With the advances in medical science, hysterectomy should be the last resort for a woman, not the first.

A 2018 Indian government survey found that more than 22,000 Indian women aged 15-49 out of the 700,00 surveyed had undergone a hysterectomy. The fourth National family & Health Survey found that 6% of women in age group of 30-49 years had undergone a hysterectomy in India as a whole. The purpose of it is to save women from uterus-related, life-threatening conditions. The procedure should be done above 45 years to decrease its side effects.

Dr. Vidya V Bhat
Medical Director
RadhaKrishna Multispecialty Hospital
Girinagar, Bengaluru

The post Hysterectomy should be the last resort for a woman appeared first on Health Vision.