Inside the operating room of Jiahui International Hospital, Dr. May Wu, Section Head of Gynecology, focused intently on a special ultrasound monitor. The screen displayed the precise location and boundaries of all the fibroids in real time, equipping Dr. Wu, this experienced surgeon with real-time navigational instruments to move effortlessly through the uterine muscle layer. With each incision, lesions of all sizes were removed while preserving healthy tissue.
The special technology used in this surgery was the first application of advanced surgical technology: endoscopic intraoperative ultrasound. This isn't just an innovation in equipment; it provides real benefits to patients. This technology allows doctors to see hidden fibroids that traditional examination methods can't detect before surgery. As a result, surgeons can achieve a better balance between removing the disease and preserving fertility. This approach also helps reduce the risk of needing future surgeries.
Technological Breakthrough: From Experience-Based Exploration to Highly Precise Navigation
Traditional laparoscopic surgery primarily relies on the surgeon's experience and medical imaging captures such as ultrasound and MRI. However, these examinations have limitations for fibroids deeply embedded in the uterine wall or those that are very small.
The patient in this surgery had four fibroids detected by preoperative ultrasound, but conventional ultrasound, due to its limited angle and resolution, could not detect all the lesions. The gynecology and surgery team at Jiahui International Hospital collaborated to introduce an intraoperative ultrasound navigation system, which is already used in hepatobiliary surgery. Through the same incision used in laparoscopy, an ultrasound probe was directly inserted into the pelvic cavity to perform real-time, dynamic, millimeter-level scans on the surface of the uterus. It's like equipping a scalpel with navigation capabilities, allowing doctors to directly see the precise number, size, depth, and boundaries between the fibroids and healthy tissue on the screen.
Patient Benefits: More Thorough Treatment, and Longer-Term Protection
The technology introduced by the Gynecology Department of Jiahui International Hospital directly brings two core benefits to patients:
1. Thorough Removal, Preventing Recurrence: In this surgery, under the guidance of this real-time navigation system, Dr. May Wu not only precisely located the four pre-existing fibroids but also discovered two additional small fibroids deeply embedded in the myometrium that were not visible in pre-operative examinations, all of which were completely removed.
Instead of just treating visible growths, the approach now aims to completely eliminate potential growths. This greatly lowers the chances of the problem coming back and reduces the need for more surgeries due to leftover small fibroids, ultimately easing the patient's treatment burden.
2. Precise Dissection, Protecting the Uterus: For women who wish to preserve fertility or retain uterine function, the precision of the surgery is crucial. The clear boundaries displayed by intraoperative ultrasound guided Dr. May Wu to perform precise dissection. This ensured the complete removal of fibroids while preserving normal uterine myometrial tissue to the greatest extent possible, significantly reducing unnecessary damage.
This created a strong basis for the patient's successful recovery after surgery, helping to repair the uterus and maintain its future function. It reflects a patient-centered approach and the modern medical philosophy of both treating current issues and protecting future health.
Advanced Medical Model: Multidisciplinary Collaboration Forges New Heights in Precision Medicine
The procedure’s success wasn’t just equipment borrowed from another department. It exemplified Jiahui Health’s long‑standing multidisciplinary care model.
Because this technology is mature in hepatobiliary surgery, hepatobiliary and gynecological surgeons reviewed the plan together and mapped the probe insertion path before the operation. During surgery, Dr. Li Jun, Chief of Surgery, gave real-time guidance on probe angle and ultrasound interpretation while collaborating with Dr. May Wu. With full support from anesthesia and nursing, the team combined top technologies from each field to create a solution greater than the sum of its parts for a complex case, which was then delivered to the patient.
Looking into the Future: Gynecological Surgery in a New Era of Real-Time Visualization
The successful use of intraoperative ultrasound navigation in gynecology extends Jiahui Health’s precision-surgery philosophy. It signifies that complex gynecological surgeries are moving from reliance on experience and two-dimensional imaging into a new stage of real-time, three-dimensional, and visualized navigation.
This technology applies not only to multiple uterine fibroids, but to other precision-demanding procedures, like complex adenomyosis resections and deep endometriosis surgery. Jiahui International Hospital will continue to promote such interdisciplinary innovation, delivering the highest-quality care to every patient through cutting-edge technology, exploring the optimal path between curing disease and safeguarding quality of life.
