Advanced, patient-centred gynaecological care

Towards the end of August 2020, Professor Jayanta Chatterjee’s patient started to have some abnormal bloating. Her periods also started to become very heavy, to the point where they became unmanageable.

Realising that she needed to seek medical advice, she began her healthcare journey with an appointment with her GP, who ran some tests and performed an ultrasound. The results showed that she had eight fibroids on her uterus, that could not be effectively managed with medication alone, so she was promptly referred to a gynaecologist.

Professor Chatterjee explains in his own words how he came to care for this patient, and how he used his expertise and experience to give her the treatment she was looking for, with a highly successful outcome.

My patient came to me in 2022 looking for treatment for fibroids which were causing her a lot of pain and distress. She’d had an appointment with a gynaecologist but wasn’t happy with the recommended treatment. “Because of the number of fibroids I had, the gynaecologist said I would need a type of open surgery called a laparotomy”, she explained to me.

"I was told that this would require a six to eight-week recovery period, with a large incision down my belly. I’ve never had so much as a bad cut before so the thought of that really scared me!" Having a fast-paced and demanding job in tech, my patient also felt that open surgery with such a long recovery time simply wasn’t a viable option for her.

After looking into our new Robotic Gynaecology Service at London Bridge Hospital, this patient reached out to me for treatment. After reviewing her case, I suggested that I treat her at The Lister Hospital as I could see her there at an earlier date. 

My patient recalled her disappointment in the lack of care she had felt during interactions with previous health professionals, "in the past, I’ve felt rushed and that appointments with consultants have lacked a personal touch," she told me.

To reassure my patient, I made sure to take time to clearly understand her situation and goals. I discussed her medical history with her and whether she does or doesn’t want to have children in the future to ensure that the treatment we were looking to perform would be appropriate for her. 

At the initial consultation, I explained to her exactly how her procedure would go, what her personal risks were and how I would minimise them. I suggested that for the treatment to be as successful as possible, I would do the procedure alongside another specialist at The Lister Hospital, Mr Usman Raja, who would perform a uterine artery embolisation.

I also arranged for the patient to have an MRI before the procedure to rule out any malignant changes that might have been present so that we could take lifesaving steps if required. Prioritising my patient’s needs, and to ensure minimal impact on her working life, we scheduled both procedures to take place on the same day, one after the other.  

My patient was fully recovered after a month and was happy with how quickly she was back on her feet.

"I was up and walking around the house after just two days and I was able to get out of the house after three weeks. I had as wonderful an experience as possible when going through surgery and my symptoms are completely gone. I’m doing well," she reported at her follow-up consultation.

I am delighted to have been able to provide this patient with the care and treatment she needed in a way that allowed her to get back to her everyday life with only minor disruption.