Hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are the top three comorbidities complicating gynecological surgeries, according to Dr Shamanique Bodie-Williams, an OB/GYN who works as a consultant physician in Grand Bahama’s public health system and serves as the chief of service for Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Rand Memorial Hospital.
“Gynecologic surgeries—like fibroid/cyst removal, endometriosis surgery, and hysterectomy—are serious interventions that require extensive communication and planning to ensure favorable patient outcomes,” said Dr Bodie-Williams, who operates private clinics in Freeport and Nassau.
Patients living with more than one disease or condition require adequate workups and care plans before undergoing a surgical procedure, said the author of Progression: An Adolescents and Parents Guide to Gynecologic Health and Turn It Around: Surviving and Thriving with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
Dr Bodie-Williams says a good OB/GYN will thoroughly evaluate comorbid conditions to understand the surgical risks and benefits for the gynecological patient. She encouraged women to get annual physicals rather than waiting for something to go wrong before seeing a doctor.
“Sometimes, we discover health issues when we’re preparing for surgery and trying to understand the state of the body and its ability to tolerate this invasive procedure. During this preoperative period, you get this information that could be life-changing because then you have an opportunity to correct the issue before undergoing surgery,” she explained.
“Sometimes, if you’re not fortunate and you’ve left the complication uncorrected or unaddressed, you can end up where you not only have the gynecologic problem, but now you have the comorbidity which causes a complication and prevents the gynecologic surgery. These silent killers are no longer silent.”
Dr Bodie-Williams encourages every Bahamian, whether through National Health Insurance (NHI), private insurance, or covering it out of pocket, to get their annual check-up from their primary care provider. This yearly physical provides preventative screening, and doctors make health recommendations to lower a patient’s risk of chronic diseases.
“It’s supposed to be a preventative visit, where physicians can track your health and catch any health conditions early when they are easier to treat. This check-up allows many of these silent issues to be uncovered and dealt with,” she said.
Comorbidities are the coexistence of two or more diseases within the same individual. For instance, many people with diabetes have hypertension, which is due to the common risk factors shared between the two conditions.
According to Dr Bodie-Williams, it is crucial to identify comorbid conditions to help reduce diagnostic delay and improve the quality of life of women who require surgery for reproductive issues.
As a diabetic, who removed fibroids, it’s a lesson Lezreen Rigby knows all too well. She reminded women that prioritizing their well-being can make all the difference in managing health conditions and catching potential issues early.
“From a personal experience, my advice to others with chronic conditions is to take care of your body. Ignoring the conditions will lead to greater implications and difficulties in the future. This affects not only the patient but also your family members financially and emotionally,” she noted. “Chronic conditions can be overwhelming at times, but always trust God and live one day at a time. Be in control of whatever condition arises, don’t let the condition control you.”
Source: Felicity Darville
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