Gynaecology

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.
This article has been tagged since January 2007.

The shamefulness associated with the examination of female genitalia has long inhibited the science of gynaecology. This 1822 drawing by Jacques-Pierre Maygnier shows a "compromise" procedure, in which the physician is kneeling before the woman but cannot see her genitalia. Modern gynaecology has shed these inhibitions.

Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) literally means "the science of women", but in medicine this is the specialty of diseases of the female reproductive system (uterus, vagina, and ovaries). Almost all modern gynaecologists are also obstetricians; see Obstetrics and gynaecology.

1 History
2 Examination
3 Diseases
4 Therapies
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

In the United States, J. Marion Sims is considered the father of American gynaecology. Practitioners included Dr. Benjamin B. Weinstein (1913-1974) of Tulane University in New Orleans, who specialized in fertility studies.

[edit] Examination

It is typically a consultant specialty. In most countries women must see a general practitioner (GP; also known as a family practitioner (FP)) first. If their condition requires knowledge or equipment unavailable to the GP they are referred to a gynaecologist. However in the United States law and many health insurance plans allow gynaecologists to provide primary care and some women select that option.

As in all of medicine the main tools of diagnosis are clinical history and examination. Gynaecological examination is special in that it is quite intimate, and it involves special equipment, the speculum. The speculum consists of two hinged blades of concave metal or plastic which are used to retract the tissues of the vagina and permit examination of the cervix the lower part of the uterus located within the upper portion of the vagina. Gynaecologists typically do a bimanual examination (one hand on the abdomen two fingers in the vagina) to palpate the cervix, uterus, ovaries and bony pelvis. It is not uncommon to do a rectovaginal exam for complete evaluation of the pelvis particularly if any suspicious masses are appreciated. Male gynaecologists often have a female chaperone (nurse or medical student) for their examination. An abdominal and/or vaginal ultrasound can be used to confirm any abnormalities appreciated with the bimanual examination or when indicated by the patient's history.

[edit] Diseases

The main conditions dealt with by a gynaecologist are:

Cancer of the reproductive organs including ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and vulva
Incontinence of urine.
Amenorrhoea (absent menstrual periods)
Dysmenorrhoea (painful menstrual periods)
Infertility
Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual periods). This is a common indication for hysterectomy.
Prolapse of pelvic organs

Obviously there is some crossover in these areas. For example a woman with incontinence may be referred to a urologist.

[edit] Therapies

As with all surgical specialties, gynaecologists may employ medical or surgical therapies (or many times, both), depending on the exact nature of the problem that they are treating. Pre- and post-operative medical management will often employ many "standard" drug therapies, such as antibiotics, diuretics, antihypertensives, and antiemetics. Additionally, gynaecologists make frequent use of "specialized" hormone-modulating therapies (such as Clomifene citrate and oral contraceptive pills) to treat disorders of the female genital tract that are responsive to pituitary and/or gonadal signals.

Surgery, however, is the mainstay of gynaecological therapy. For historical reasons gynaecologists are not usually considered "surgeons," although this point has always been the source of some controversy. Modern advancements in both fields, however, have blurred many of the once rigid lines of distinction. The rise of sub-specialties within gynaecology which are primarily surgical in nature (for example urogynaecology and gynaecological oncology) have strengthened the reputations of gynaecologists as surgical practitioners, and many surgeons and surgical societies have come to view gynaecologists as comrades of sorts. As proof of this changing attitude, gynaecologists are now eligible for fellowship in both the American and Royal Colleges of Surgeons, and many newer surgical textbooks include chapters on (at least basic) gynaecological surgery.

Some of the more common operations that gynaecologists perform include:

Dilation and curettage (removal of the uterine contents for various reasons, including partial miscarriage and dysfunctional uterine bleeding refractive to medical therapy)
Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
Oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries)
Tubal ligation
Hysteroscopy
Diagnostic laparoscopy - used to diagnose and treat sources of pelvic and abdominal pain; perhaps most frequently used to provide definitve diagnosis of endometriosis
Exploratory laparotomy - may be used to investigate the level of progression of benign or malignant disease, or to assess and repair damage to the pelvic organs
Colposuspension - "tightening" of the ligaments around the vagina: a common therapy for incontinence and discomfort in older women
Appendectomy - often performed to remove site of painful endometriosis implantation and/or prophylactically (against future acute appendicitis) at the time of hysterectomy or Cesarean section. May also be performed as part of a staging operation for ovarian cancer.
Cervical Excision Procedures (including cryosurgery, LLETZ, LEEP) - removal of the surface of the cervix containing pre-cancerous cells which have been previously identified on Pap smear.