Urogynecologist Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States
Objectives: The objective of this video abstract is to demonstrate recommended strategies for the surgeon’s assistant in vaginal hysterectomy.
Methods: Our patient was approached in the preoperative setting and consent for medical photography and videography was reviewed and signed by the patient and project leader. The video was created from a single surgical case. Portions of the surgery relevant to the surgical assistant are highlighted in the video, which outlines our core recommendations for assisting in a vaginal hysterectomy; providing traction, minding your role based on the surgical site, and maintaining an organized surgical field.
Clinical Relevance: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists highlight the importance of trained assistants in gynecologic surgery. Unfortunately, these principles and practices are not taught in the gynecologic literature or the abundant surgical videos. We recommend three core strategies to optimize the procedure for the surgeon; provision of traction, minding your assisting role based on the site of active surgery, and maintaining organization of the operative field. We believe these strategies and this video may be helpful for junior trainees assisting in vaginal surgery, fellows and junior faculty who assist for resident learners, and surgical assistants in private practice and community settings.
