Lyn's Pelvic Floor Surgery Story

The Problems Women Don’t Want To Talk About, But Should

One morning while showering, Lyn Orrell discovered she had a problem. She felt a bulge shaped like a plum between her legs that had not been there the day before. Understandably, her first thought was cancer. Fortunately, that was not the case.

“As women age, pelvic floor muscles get weaker and more relaxed, which can allow one or more of the pelvic organs to drop down (prolapse) through the vagina. This is a common condition: 4 out of 10 women will experience pelvic organ prolapse as they get older. Some women may also notice tissue coming out of the rectum, which is called rectal prolapse. In Lyn’s case, her cervix was coming out of the vagina, which is why she felt a bulge,” said Shobha Sikka, MD, a urogynecologist, who is board certified in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

Many factors can affect pelvic floor health throughout a woman’s life, including vaginal childbirth, number of births, aging, loss of estrogen during menopause, chronic cough, and chronic constipation. Treatments range from pelvic floor exercises and physical therapy, a pessary (a small silicone device inserted into the vagina to support prolapsed organs), or surgery. Pelvic floor conditions are not life-threatening, but they can cause pain, discomfort, and urinary and fecal incontinence – and can have a profound effect on the quality of life.

After meeting with Dr. Sikka, Lyn felt calm and reassured. “I took some time to think about my options and decided that surgery was the right choice for me,” she said. Her surgery was scheduled for August, and Lyn had no concerns about having surgery during the pandemic.

“I told Lyn that having surgery and being hospitalized at Holy Cross is very safe. It is very important to continue to take care of your health issues during this time of COVID-19,” said Dr. Sikka.

For Lyn, as with all her patients, Dr. Sikka uses sophisticated urodynamic testing to evaluate the bladder for leakage and the chance of developing leakage after surgery. How Dr. Sikka performs the surgery – whether vaginally, laparoscopically, or robotically – depends on the type and location of the prolapse. “Almost all prolapse repair surgeries are minimally invasive,” explained Dr. Sikka. “Most patients go home the same day or the next day after surgery.”

Lyn’s surgery was done using the da Vinci^® robotic surgery system at Holy Cross Hospital. “Holy Cross Health’s robotic surgery team is highly experienced in performing advanced pelvic floor surgery,” said Dr. Sikka. “We are able to operate through very tiny incisions with less trauma to tissues and, therefore, less pain for the patient.”

“Holy Cross Health’s strong commitment to minimally invasive and robotic gynecologic surgery is reflected in our high volume of procedures; our expert, highly trained team of gynecologic oncology, urogynecology and general gyn surgeons; and our access to the most advanced technology. These innovative surgical procedures result in fewer complications and better outcomes, getting women back to work, their families, and normal activities quickly,” said Albert Steren, MD, medical director, Gynecologic Oncology, Holy Cross Health.

After surgery, Lyn recovered in her private room. “The nursing staff took such good care of me, I actually felt relaxed,” she said. The next morning, Lyn was up at 6:00 a.m. sitting in a chair and then walking on the unit before going home that evening. “I had a little discomfort the first few days, took it easy for a while, and everything went well.”

“All too often, women don’t know to ask us for help,” said Dr. Sikka. “Approximately 50 percent of older women have urinary incontinence, but only one-quarter to one-half of those women will seek care. They think it’s just a normal part of aging and they’re embarrassed to talk about it. Pelvic floor conditions can be easily addressed with a variety of non-surgical and surgical treatments – and it’s never too late.”

“When you have surgery, you want the whole process to be fine-tuned and wonderful,” said Lyn. “That’s how my experience was. From the moment I walked in Dr. Sikka’s office, through my surgery at Holy Cross Hospital and recovery at home, I felt comfortable and was not worried about anything.”