Clinical Innovations
World-renowned Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) at UC San Diego
Springing into action to improve the lives of women through superior care are the highly skilled Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgery (MIGS) specialists at UC San Diego Health. We hope to introduce our practicing excellence-in-innovation experts and draw attention to patient benefits stemming from their delicate procedures. MIGS evidence-based treatment is an alternative to traditional open surgery where sizeable incision scarring, complication risk, discomfort, and pain are lessened.
MIGS: the Modernized No-Incision Innovation
Ranked among nation’s top 50 in gynecologic care by U.S. News & World Report, board-certified MIGS at UCSD delivers leading quality minimally-invasive and robotic-assisted surgeries for endometriosis, uterine fibroids, abnormal uterine bleeding, ovarian cysts, endometrial polyps, and other conditions. Our precision technique is a relief and convenience for patients with reduced pain from no or few small incisions and accelerates return to normal activities and avoidance of hospital. Laparoscopic and robotic procedures – hysterectomies, myomectomies, and ovarian surgeries – are performed as safe, effective treatment for alleviating painful symptoms with improved overall patient outcomes.
Our MIGS leadership team:
Charlotte Pickett, MD
Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgeon
Dr. Pickett completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at Indiana University and joined UCSD this fall. She is passionate about improving the care of women with endometriosis. She partners her surgical expertise with the multi-disciplinary UCSD Center for Endometriosis Research and Treatment team to provide comprehensive care to patients. She is also interested in bringing new techniques and procedures to UCSD, having recently performed the first laparoscopic cesarean scar ectopic resection done here. She is working to soon be able to provide patients with robotic abdominal cerclage and vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES).
Shira Varon, MD
Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgeon
Dr. Varon has more than 15 years of MIGS experience evaluating and treating patients with fibroids. Her belief in an individualized approach to patient care spans cutting edge medical therapies apace with the latest minimally invasive therapies for fibroids, including transcervical radiofrequency ablation with the Sonata procedure. Her multi-disciplinary team of infertility specialists, perinatologists, and interventional radiologists collaborate to develop the right approach to ameliorate patient care.
Top Notch MIGS Training for Residents
As a group, treatment volume at Jacobs Medical Center, Koman Outpatient Pavilion, surpasses 1993 gynecologic surgeries every year with 1433 already performed in 2023. UCSD’s beautiful and updated hospital has highly sought after staff, sophisticated operating rooms, and top notch robotic and laparoscopic equipment. Reputable as the region's only academic medical center, residents at UCSD School of Medicine rotate through intensive Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgery (MIGS) training every 8 weeks provided by Dr. Varon. Dr. Pickett enjoys assisting with their operative training and simulation sessions.
Dr. Pickett and Dr. Varon MIGS Simulation Training—demonstrating their skills to trainees (not real patient)
COMPARE-UF Clinical Trial
Dr. Varon serves as a lead physician for clinical trials with research focus on a personalized approach to advancing the treatment options of women in their reproductive years with fibroids. She has been involved in pivotal trials including the largest prospective research trial in the country evaluating the efficacy of procedures for women with uterine fibroids (COMPARE-UF). She is studying the effects of myomectomy on ovarian function and is also interested in studying myomectomy performed at the time of Cesarean section in pregnant women with fibroids. Dr. Varon takes interest in studying new medications used to treat women with abnormal uterine bleeding, fibroids, and endometriosis.
Visit our MIGS and Fibroid Care health sites to learn more.