On March 26, 2008, surgeons at UC San Diego Medical Center removed an inflamed appendix through a patient’s vagina, a first in the United States. Following the 50-minute procedure, the patient, Diana Schlamadinger, reported only minor discomfort. Removal of diseased organs through the body’s natural openings offers patients a rapid recovery, minimal pain, and no scarring.

The procedure, called Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES), involves passing surgical instruments through a natural orifice, such as the mouth or vagina, to remove a diseased organ such as an appendix or gallbladder. Only one incision is made through the belly button for the purpose of inserting a two millimeter camera into the abdominal cavity so the surgeons can safely access the surgical site…

Schlamadinger, a third-year graduate student at UC San Diego working toward her Ph.D. in chemistry, reported her pain as a ‘1’ or a ‘0.5’ on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest. The opportunity to participate in the clinical trial was attractive to the scientist in her.

Still, it has to make you as nervous – hoping you don’t get jumpy – as a vasectomy.




  1. Balbas says:

    From now on, the appendix will be known as a Schlamadinger.

  2. Pierre Larsen says:

    Who will volunteer for the equivalent procedure males?

    Shudder!

  3. Mister Feline Feces says:

    They had to do my vasectomy in a lumber yard.

  4. NappyHeadedHo says:

    Next up, brain surgery through the asshole.

  5. Dallas says:

    I hope it was put up for adoption.

  6. moondawg says:

    #4. For most people, co-location would make this a minor surgery.

  7. RBG says:

    She fell for that old line?

    RBG

  8. the answer says:

    Think of her husband. how long will he have to wait before they become intimate again. And think of the scar tissue. poor guy.

  9. John Paradox says:

    Mister Feline Feces said
    They had to do my vasectomy in a lumber yard.

    You had a ‘woody’?

    J/P=?

  10. Dr. Schmegel says:

    UPDATE:

    BOB IS NOW FEELING QUITE WELL AND IS WALKING AROUND. HE HOPES TO BE BACK AT WORK ON THE SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS SOON AT TOMORROW.

  11. Vasectomy isn’t so bad. (When I asked my regular doc about it, he said, “it’s a highly underutilized procedure.” and then told me the advantages he’s had since his.

    This, on the other hand, seems like it’d be painful. But if not, it’s nice to give 51% of the population the option.

  12. robnee says:

    Doctor: We’re going to remove your appendix through your vagina.
    Woman: No, a-hole, make a two inch incision where my appendix is and take it out like a real doctor. WTF!

  13. moondawgfan says:

    Lmao at #6, you made my day

  14. CarlWinslow says:

    OK, so, I know I’m not the smartest fish in the sea, but I’m hoping someone can tell me how this works…

    If you go up the vagina, you hit the cervix…go through the cervix, you’re in the uterus…only opening to the rest of the body the uterus has is the fallopian tubes, which are not so very big…

    so how did they snake their devices up this path, then around to the appendix, AND pull the appendix back down through this path. The visual size of the appendix in the picture looks like it wouldn’t fit back down through the fallopian tube. Did they stretch it open??

    OH GOD WHERE ARE THE MDs TO ANSWER ME!

  15. Polly Morphus says:

    I bet she can’t wait to show everyone the scar.

  16. Calin says:

    My wife had her uterus removed through her vagina. It was 6 weeks wait till I had access again. The only scar tissue was around the cervix, but it doesn’t feel any different than it did after the first kid was born.

    BTW, this was almost 10 years ago.

  17. JustSomeGuy says:

    “Well, there’s a delicate corneal inversion procedure… a multi-opti-pupil-optomy. But, in order to keep from damaging the eye sockets, they’ve got to go in through the rectum. Ain’t no man going to take that route with me!”

    Love that line.

  18. Ubiquitous Talking Head says:

    Afterward:

    Like having sex with a jar of warm mayonaise.

  19. moondawg says:

    #15. Woo hoo! I have a fan!

    happy to oblige.

    Almost went with: “If this was a girl from my high school, the Dr. probably walked in, looked around with a flashlight, grabbed the appendix, and walked out.

  20. Adrian says:

    Gizmodo is so childish
    http://tinyurl.com/2t7vk6

    [Please use TinyUrl.com for overly long URLs. – ed.]

  21. Peter iNova says:

    That’s old hat. The story about the vagina being removed through the appendix is the big news.

  22. peterg says:

    Really interesting, gives a whole new meaning to ‘ talking out through your arse!’

  23. bahalana says:

    “The opportunity to participate in the clinical trial was attractive to the scientist in her.”

    She had a scientist in her at the same time?? Now that’s impressive.

  24. Dating says:

    I think this is an ingenious way to avoid scarring. Lots of woman should be happy about this procedure.

  25. London Tours says:

    Oh my… I couldnt believe it when I saw this post. Impressive stuff.

  26. “The opportunity to participate in the clinical trial was attractive to the scientist in her.”

    I’ll never interested in any clinical test tho..scary

  27. renantech says:

    Very nice and informative I will tell this to my cousin that studying nurse.

  28. Lol this is so gross just thinking about it.

  29. Thanks for the info. I love this post

  30. Is this really true?


1

Bad Behavior has blocked 5029 access attempts in the last 7 days.