Gynecologic Surgery ERAS Testimonial

Kathryn’s Story

For years, Kathryn Owens suffered from uterine fibroids, non-cancerous growths in her uterus. Some were as large as softballs, causing great discomfort and forcing her to give up activities she enjoyed, such as running.

“It felt like I was pregnant for four years,” Kathryn says.

She had dealt with the condition before and had open surgery to have them removed. After that procedure, she experienced significant pain and had to stay in the hospital for three nights, receiving a blood transfusion due to the amount of blood she lost during the surgery.

When her uterine fibroids returned, Kathryn sought a better way to treat them. She was referred to UT Southwestern gynecologist Kyler Elwell Silver, M.D. Dr. Elwell Silver told Kathryn that she could remove the uterine fibroids through minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and she could participate in UT Southwestern’s Gynecologic Surgery Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program. Minimally invasive surgery reduces pain and recovery time, and the gynecologic surgery ERAS helps patients return to health even more quickly.

On the day of the surgery, Dr. Elwell Silver explained the procedure, and Kathryn received general anesthesia. When she woke, her uterine fibroids were gone and she only had three small incisions from the laparoscopic procedure. She was able to go home the same day. Dr. Elwell Silver provided pain medication to help her recover, but Kathryn only needed to take them for two days.

Since the procedure, Kathryn is back to doing the things she loves, including exercise. She has more energy and no more discomfort.

“I recommend it to everyone in my uterine fibroid support group and refer my friends to Dr. Elwell Silver. Dr. Elwell Silver was great — she was very accessible and willing to answer all my questions,” Kathryn says.