DR. MARTIN SCURR: Planned surgery reduces the risk of complications for Kate
She appears to be in good health, so the news – released yesterday by Kensington Palace – that the Princess of Wales has undergone abdominal surgery at the London Clinic will have caused some concern.
Nowadays it is becoming increasingly rare that you will need to recover in a hospital for up to two weeks, even in a private hospital. But it is reassuring that this was a planned operation and not an emergency.
This would have minimized the chance of unwanted complications; the operation was performed quietly, with all available specialists present and working as a team without undue pressure.
It is neither safe nor good manners to speculate about private health matters. However, we have a natural concern for the woman who will one day be our queen.
At the age of 42, she is very active and, as far as we know, has had three children without complications.
The Princess of Wales is pictured at Sandringham on Christmas Day, the last time she was seen in public
Kate is not expected to return to public events until after Easter, and her husband Prince William will be by his wife and children's side throughout.
The Princess of Wales is a non-smoker and has a slim build and is undoubtedly at the lowest possible risk from any type of surgical procedure.
Elective abdominal surgery in a woman in this age group is quite unusual. It may include an appendectomy or gallstones – this is in fact one of the most common elective surgeries and is usually performed via keyhole surgery.
In some women, ovarian cysts occur, requiring surgical removal, again via minimal access surgery. Other patients in this age group may undergo a hysterectomy.
Sometimes surgery is necessary to repair a hernia, and even young, fit, muscular women can develop them.
Our highly respected princess has been advised to rest and stay away from her public appearances for two full months. She is “unlikely to resume her public duties until after Easter,” the official announcement said.
The Princess of Wales has undergone abdominal surgery at the London Clinic and will remain there for approximately 10 to 14 days
If she were my wife and subject to any of the above procedures, I would insist on the same, even though there would be no doubt that there would be pressure from her employer to return to work within a week or two her desk.
Nevertheless, a general anesthetic and abdominal surgery of virtually any kind requires weeks to allow for proper healing.
As a mother of three, who leads a busy working life, it is certainly true that the Princess of Wales should have a private and restful recovery.
Too often in this day and age we are expected to return to work too quickly, without the opportunity for such gentle considerations, and I am both happy and relieved that she has been granted this – even if her doctors had to overrule what I guess that would happen. It was her own insistence to get back to work quickly.