The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G), United Christian Hospital (UCH) started its service since 1973. With the integration of Department of O&G, Tseung Kwan O Hospital (TKOH) since January 2002, our department is now consisting of two geographical sites, UCH & TKOH. The UCH site houses all obstetric delivery services, as well as general gynaecology and the other gynaecological subspecialty services, including urogynaecology, gynaecological oncology and reproductive medicine. The TKOH site houses general gynaecology and the other gynaecological subspecialty services, including urogynaecology, reproductive medicine and robotic surgery, as well as outpatient obstetric services. We have four O&G wards, including labour ward, supported by approximately 200 dedicated staff members. Our team consists of full-time consultants, part-time consultants, associate consultants, midwifery consultants, and lactation consultants, all serving the population of the Kowloon East Cluster.
Apart from clinical service, our department is an accredited training centre recognised by The Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for O&G specialists and subspecialty training in maternal fetal medicine, urogynaecology and gynaecological oncology.
Mission
To serve with Excellence and Christian Love
To provide comprehensive service to the community in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
To contribute to perseverance of the specialty by provision of high-quality staff training
To enhance perpetuation of knowledge and craftsmanship by promotion and facilitation of research and development of advanced skills
Obstetrics (Maternal Fetal Medicine)
Our obstetric unit is committed to supporting all pregnant women and their family in time of pregnancy, labour and delivery. We provide comprehensive service for low risk pregnant women such as Down syndrome screening and newborn screening. Antenatal care and postnatal care are conducted in United Christian Hospital (UCH) and Tseung Kwan O Hospital (TKOH), in collaboration with Maternity and Child Health Centres in Kowloon East Cluster. All deliveries are conducted in UCH. In-house obstetricians, anaesthesiologists and neonatologists are available 24-hour.
We also care for high risk women with pre-existing medical disease and/or pregnancy complication in collaboration with physicians, allied health and other specialties.
For fetus with anomaly or parents with risk factors, we deliver prenatal screening, detailed ultrasound examination, diagnostic procedure and counselling service to better prepare the couple before the birth of the baby. We also join up with neonatologists, geneticists, and paediatric surgeons to embellish the counselling.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Laparoscopic surgery: these key-hole procedures involve surgery inside the abdominal cavity using minimal incisions on the abdomen. Our laparoscopic procedures range from major operations such as total laparoscopic hysterectomy, laparoscopic myomectomy, laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy to those minor one e.g. laparoscopic sterilization. Advanced laparoscopic surgeries are also carried out in subspecialties such as laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, laparoscopic sacrocolpoplexy and laparoscopic tubal reversal operations.
Hysteroscopic surgery: these procedures are carried out within the uterine cavity aided by a camera looking directly into the uterine cavity and miniaturized equipment. Simple diagnostic hysteroscopy, hysteroscopic polypectomy are done regularly while more advanced hysteroscopic surgery such as hysteroscopic resection of submucosal fibroid, hysteroscopic resection of uterine septum and hysteroscopic endometrial ablations are also performed. New surgical techniques such as intrauterine morcellation of endometrial polyp and fibroid have been incorporated into our service to promote faster and safer operations.
Robot-assisted surgery [service location in Tseung Kwan O Hospital (TKOH)]: allows surgeons to perform procedures with greater precision, flexibility and control; and perform delicate and complex procedures that may have been difficult or impossible with other conventional surgical techniques. At the moment, the main application of robot-assisted surgery in our department is in gynaecological cancer surgery.
Urogynaecology
Urogynaecology is one of the disciplines of Obstetrics and Gynaecology which deals with structural and functional impairment of lower urinary tract and pelvic floor.
We offer a variety of investigations and treatment modalities for different female lower urinary tract problems and genital prolapse which include:
urodynamic Study
cystoscopy
perineal ultrasound
pelvic floor exercises
ring pessary
different laparoscopic and vaginal prolapse surgery
incontinence surgery like mid-urethral tape, colposuspension
Gynaecological Oncology
We provide management of pre-malignant or malignant conditions in women, our services include:
Colposcopy service (diagnostic colposcopy clinic, loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) clinic, Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) clinic, and CIN nurse-led clinic)
In-patient services
Surgery (open surgery, endoscopic surgery, vaginal surgery, robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery*)
*in Tseung Kwan O Hospital, for selected suitable cases only
Reproductive Medicine
We provide high standard of care to our subfertility patients by offering personalised counselling, investigation and treatment including reproductive surgery, ovulation induction with anti-oestrogen or gonadotrophin injection and artificial insemination to them.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
The first laparoscopic gynaecological surgery was performed in our unit in January 1994 with the help from technological advancement and dedication of our professional gynaecological consultants. Over 500 cases of laparoscopic surgeries are being performed in our department annually and more than half of them are major laparoscopic surgeries.
Our department has introduced various operative hysteroscopic procedures including transcervical resection of endometrium (TCRE), second generation endometrial ablation methods e.g. Cavaterm and Thermachoice since 1990s. A newer surgical technique i.e. hysteroscopic morcellation was introduced in May 2019 to enhance efficiency and safety of hysteroscopic surgery. Over 1000 cases of hysteroscopic procedures (including both diagnostic and therapeutic hysteroscopy) are performed each year in our department.
The da Vinci® Surgical System in Kowloon East Cluster was installed in TKOH in November 2021, and the first robotic gynaecological oncology surgery was carried out in July 2022 and robotic gynaecological surgeries are regularly performed in TKOH since then.
Gynaecological Oncology
Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) programme Our ERAS programme was set up in 2020, which comprises of a multidisciplinary team providing a peri-operative care pathway for our cancer patients to reduce the surgical, psychological, social stress response, optimize their physiologic function, and facilitate recovery
Cancer Case Manager (CCM) programme We have introduced this nurse-led programme since 2021. The manager navigates the patient along the patient journey and facilitates the coordination of the diagnostic process and treatment.
Multidisciplinary meetings We have regular clinical meetings with oncologists, pathologists and radiologists with special interest in the field of gynaecology to discuss the optimal management plan for our cancer patients.
Reproductive Medicine
We run the Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit which is licensed by the Council of Human Reproductive Technology to provide Artificial Insemination by Husband to our patients.
Our Reproductive Medicine team performs reproductive surgery including hysteroscopic proximal tubal cannulation, laparoscopic salpingostomy, laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis, laparoscopic or hysteroscopic myomectomy. We also perform surgery for congenital anomaly including excision of vaginal septum and hysteroscopic resection of uterine septum.
We established Tubal Assessment Clinic to provide Hysterosalpingo Contrast Sonography, Saline Infused Sonography and 3D ultrasonography to our patients so that they can have early assessment and reduce the need of requiring surgery under general anaesthesia.
Obstetrics (Maternal Fetal Medicine)
Our obstetric team comprises Maternal Fetal Medicine subspecialists and specialized nurses. Our unit is accredited by The Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as a subspecialty training centre.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Our minimally invasive surgery team comprises 2 of them are certified robotic surgeons and all of them are accredited advanced laparoscopic surgeons by The Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Urogynaecology
We have a group of professional continence advisors providing counselling and training on continence care and also conservative management of genital prolapse which included vaginal pessary replacement and teaching on self-replacement of vaginal pessary. They also offer education to patients with voiding dysfunction on clean intermittent self-catheterisation.
We also run regular joint clinic with colo-rectal surgeons for patients with faecal incontinence or mothers complicated with severe perineal injuries during delivery, providing endoanal ultrasound and anorectal manometry services.
Gynaecological Oncology
Our gynaeoncology team comprises consultant with special interest in gynaecologic oncology, robotic surgery consultant, gynaecologic oncology subspecialist, post-fellowship gynaecologists, ERAS nurse and CCM nurse, as well as CIN nurses. Our unit is accredited by The Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as a conjointed subspecialty training centre (with Queen Mary Hospital).
Reproductive Medicine
Our Reproductive Medicine team provides high quality patient-centred care to our subfertility patients. We comply with the Human Reproductive Technology Ordinance and renew our license of Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit every 3 years.
Midwifery and O&G Nursing Team
In order to provide updated evidence-based information and promote mother-baby friendly hospital, our midwifery team offers a wide range of maternity services throughout the pregnancy journey, including prenatal diagnostic clinics with prenatal counseling services, continuity care in midwifery clinics, antenatal classes and natural birth tours, hospital care for delivery, and lactation clinic to support breastfeeding with their new baby. In addition, Maternity Special Care Bed is available to give high risk pregnant women evidence-based maternity care in a setting of intensive supervision by professionals attentive to their medical and healthcare needs.
