We offer the following Gynae services:

Fertility:
The ability to become pregnant or to beget offspring respectively is known as fertility. In women fertility begins with the menarche (first menstrual period) and ends with the menopause. In men, fertility lasts from the first spontaneous ejaculation up to an advanced age (with wide individual differences). Under the fertility service, we guide the women who are planning to conceive. What measures are to be taken, what are the major or minor risks one is prone to during pregnancy and a complete counseling necessary for both male and female. There are listed below some of the medical facts.

Postmenopausal Bleeding (PMB)
PMB may indicate endometrial abnormalities including endometrial cancer. Fortunately most women with PMB will not have cancer, but it is important that all women with PMB are properly assessed. In the first instance the lower genital tract should be carefully examined. Assuming this is normal, a transvaginal ultrasound scan (TV USS) should be performed to assess the thickness and regularity of the endometrium and to check the ovaries. If the scan is normal, then usually the woman does not need any further investigation and can be reassured. If the scan appearances of the endometrium are abnormal, or if the PMB is recurrent, or if the woman has been on tamoxifen, then the woman will probably need a hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. This can almost always be performed as an outpatient procedure under local anaesthetic.

Urology
Urology is the field of surgery that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and of the male reproductive system. It is "multidisciplinary" in that the discipline includes management of "medical" (i.e., non-surgical) problems such as urinary infections and "surgical" problems such as the correction of congenital abnormalities of the urinary / reproductive systems and the surgical management of cancers involving the urinary and (male) reproductive organs. Urologists use lasers to zap polyps that develop into colon cancer and, in a much newer application, to vaporize tissue blocking the flow of urine in a high-tech takeoff of traditional prostatectomy, the second most common operation performed on men.

Pelvic Masses and Ovarian Cysts
In any woman with a pelvic mass cancer must be excluded. Fortunately most masses turn out to be benign. The diagnosis is usually made using ultrasound or other imaging (such as CT or MRI), together with a blood test (CA 125). Based on these results a management plan can be made: this can range from reassurance, or repeating the scan in a couple of months’ time, through to surgery (including laparoscopic).

Abnormal Smears, Postcoital Bleeding Suspicious Cervix and Vulva
When a woman has an abnormal smear, unless it is a very mild abnormality, a colposcopy is needed to inspect the cervix and to guide treatment. Biopsies are usually taken, and if treatment is required, this can almost always be performed under local anaesthetic. Suspicious lesions of the cervix and of the vulva can be assessed in the same way. Our service is provided by accredited colposcopists, who undergo continual professional assessment to provide quality assurance.

Treatment of Cancer
All gynaecological cancers in the Cambridge network are discussed at a weekly multidisciplinary meeting at Addenbrooke’s, including NHS and private patients. This allows an expert recommendation to be made to the patient about her treatment options. Surgery is often one of these options. This surgery is performed by trained Gynaecological Oncologists who have received accredited advanced training in gynaecological cancer management. Practitioners are also accredited in advanced laparoscopic surgery and can offer the full range of surgical procedures that may be necessary. In particular, the multidisciplinary team environment ensures appropriateness of decision making, helping to avoid over- or under- treatment.

Colposcopy
A colposcopy or colcoscopy is a diagnostic procedure in which a colposcope is utilized to examine an illuminated, magnified view of the cervix, vagina, and vulva. Many premalignant lesions and malignant lesions in these areas have discernible characteristics which can be detected with a thorough colposcopic examination.