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Baptist DeSoto is first in Mid-South to perform new hysterectomy procedure

“It’s exciting not so much for me, but for the patients. I have a passion for providing the most least evasive options for my patients,” said Dr. Thomas Pitman.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Scientists are always finding better ways to help improve health. Hysterectomies are one of the most common surgeries for women. 

As Local 24 News Reporter, Brittani Moncrease, shows us, Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto is at the forefront of innovation and advancement in performing the procedure. 

“I feel better than I did before I had the surgery,” said Dolly Brechin, a Baptist DeSoto patient. 

Brechin gives a sigh of relief as her road to good health leads to a path of progress. 

“I was fully unaware that I had a large fibroid,” said Brechin. 

The solution was a hysterectomy, a surgical procedure removing the uterus. 

“I didn’t go because the thought of surgery was a little dreadful to me,” said Brechin. “I put it off. By the next year, it was getting quite uncomfortable as having shortness of breath, having to pee all the time.”

Brechin made an appointment with Baptist DeSoto's Dr. Thomas Pitman. 

To her luck, Dr. Pitman had a new hysterectomy procedure never before done in the Mid-South. 

“What this procedure does is it combines the two most invasive procedures into one. It’s essentially an endoscopic or laparoscopic hysterectomy through the vagina,” said Dr. Pitman.

This means doctors are able to remove the uterus, tubes, and ovaries without a single incision.

“It’s unlimited. We can remove uteri that are huge even up to 1,000 to 1,500 grams. A normal uterus is 60 to 90 grams,” said Dr. Pitman. 

There is one main limitation. 

“Working in a confined space like the vagina, visualization is a problem,” said Dr. Pitman. 

The procedure came to the United States a little over a year ago. 

About 200 doctors in the country practice it. Dr. Pitman is the first and only in the Mid-South thus far.

“It’s exciting not so much for me, but for the patients. I have a passion for providing the most least evasive options for my patients,” said Dr. Pitman.

Studies show the procedure lowers complication rates, requires less pain medication usages, shorter hospital stays, and saves money.

“I had to remind myself that I’m still healing inside because I felt so good. Really,” said Brechin. “I’ve met so many women that have actually had an hysterectomy…They were all amazed. ‘Aww man, I wish they’d been doing that when I had mine done...It amazes me. I mean just when you think things have gotten so good in the world of medicine, they come up with something else.”

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