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Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD

(15 Ratings)

Specializes in: Gynecology and General Practice

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (1988)

Professional interests include: pelvic pain, endometriosis, gynecologic surgery, and more.

5805 Euclid Avenue Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44103

(216) 844-3971

Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD is a gynecologist in Cleveland, OH specializing in gynecology and general practice. She graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1988 and has 37 years of experience. Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD is affiliated with University Hospitals and UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS MEDICAL GROUP INC.

Office Locations

Address:

11100 Euclid Avenue Suite 1200
Cleveland, OH 44106

Address:

5805 Euclid Avenue Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44103

Address:

5850 Landerbrook Drive Suite 300
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124

Some issues Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD can help you with:

Gynecologic Surgery

Gynecologic surgery is surgery performed on a woman's pelvic region. It is usually performed by an OB/GYN and can involve the bladder, rectum, or reproductive organs. Surgery in this area may be performed for many reasons, but the most common procedures include:

Hysterectomy
Fibroid removal
Treatment of endometriosis or other heavy bleeding
Cancer treatment, including cervical, uterine, and ovarian cancers
Removal of ovarian cysts
Infertility treatment
Treatment for incontinence
Sterilization or 'tube-tying'
Surgery for pelvic organ prolapse
Repair of vaginal tears

More and more, gynecologic surgery is moving towards the use of minimally invasive surgery. Minimally invasive surgery uses several small incisions and tiny tools and scopes to perform the operation, rather than one large opening. While it is not appropriate in every case, minimally invasive surgery can lead to less scarring, less blood loss, faster recovery, and a lower chance for infection. Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery may be performed with a laparoscope, a thin tube with a camera on the end that allows the surgeon to see inside the body. It may also be performed robotically, using even smaller tools and cameras that a surgeon controls from a computer. Robotic surgery allows even better vision, precision, and control than laparoscopic surgery.

Over the course of a lifetime, many women need pelvic surgery to stay healthy. Qualified gynecologic surgeons will have the right tools at their disposal to provide care with a minimum of discomfort.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse is the bulging of pelvic organs into the vaginal canal due to a weak pelvic floor, causing symptoms like discomfort, pain, urinary problems, and constipation. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support the pelvic organs, which are made up of the bladder, rectum, small bowel, uterus, and vagina. Vaginal childbirth, menopause, pelvic surgery, radiation treatments, or being extremely overweight may cause the pelvic floor to weaken. Pelvic organ prolapse is a very common disorder among women, particularly for those who are over 50.

The choice of treatment for pelvic organ prolapse depends on the severity of the condition. Mild to moderate prolapse may be managed by doing pelvic floor strengthening exercises, taking hormone replacement therapy, or using pessaries. Pessaries are small devices inserted into the vagina to help support the pelvic organs. Pessary fitting is a quick procedure done in a doctor's office. For severe prolapse, surgical treatment may be necessary. Pelvic organ prolapse surgery repairs the following:

Cystocele or bladder prolapse, where the bladder sags into the vagina. The surgeon repairs a cystocele by strengthening the front wall of the vagina using stitches so that the bladder will no longer sag.
Enterocele or small bowel prolapse, which occurs when the small bowel descends towards the vagina. To correct an enterocele, the tissues between the small bowel and the vagina are sewn together, allowing them to provide more support.
Rectocele or posterior prolapse, which is the bulging of the front wall of the rectum into the back wall of the vagina. Surgery to repair a rectocele removes the excess stretched tissue between the rectum and vagina.
Uterine prolapse, which occurs when the uterus slips down to the vagina. To treat a uterine prolapse, the surgeon may secure the neck of the uterus (called cervix) to a ligament in the pelvis using stitches. Another option for this type of prolapse is a vaginal hysterectomy, which is the removal of the uterus.

Each of these procedures is performed through a vaginal incision, but an enterocele repair may use the abdominal approach as an alternative. If two or more pelvic organs have prolapsed, a combination of any of these procedures may be performed during the same surgical session.

For women who no longer wish to have intercourse, an operation called colpocleisis

may be a surgical option as well. By closing the vaginal canal, colpocleisis treats pelvic organ prolapse and eliminates any risk of its recurrence.

In most instances, pelvic organ prolapse surgery only requires a hospital stay of one day. Patients may experience vaginal bleeding for the first few weeks following surgery. If this happens, patients should use sanitary pads rather than tampons, as a higher risk of infection is associated with the use of tampons. To further help with recovery, patients should begin doing gentle pelvic floor strengthening exercises a few days after surgery. Doing these exercises at least three times a day as a routine tightens the pelvic floor muscles and prevents the recurrence of prolapse.

In The News

“Most insurance companies cover exams, such as Pap tests, for the main STDs, said Dr. Karen Ashby, attending physician and assistant professor of reproductive biology with University Hospitals Case...”—"Experts offer advice to young people", The News-Herald, June 2008

breast exam	10
doctor visit	21
gynecologic procedures	10

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	73

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	56
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	43

Hypertension	56
High Cholesterol	29
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	21
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	18
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	34
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

breast exam	13
doctor visit	15
gynecologic procedures	13

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	64

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	47
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	36

Hypertension	48
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	0
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	19
Asthma	23
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	30
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

breast exam	13
doctor visit	29
gynecologic procedures	13

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	138

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	92
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	44
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	72

Hypertension	52
High Cholesterol	30
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	0
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	22
Asthma	20
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	30
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

breast exam	17
doctor visit	9
gynecologic procedures	17

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	75

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	47
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	32
From 75 to 84	14
85 and over	0
Less than 65	29

Hypertension	49
High Cholesterol	36
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	0
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	17
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	31
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

breast exam	21
doctor visit	22
gynecologic procedures	21

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	74

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	56
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	27
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	31

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	24
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	19
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	28
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

breast exam	27
gynecologic procedures	27

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	72

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	47
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	32
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	21

Hypertension	53
High Cholesterol	40
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	19
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	19
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	18
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

breast exam	25
gynecologic procedures	25

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	62

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	38
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	39
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	11

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	19
Asthma	18
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	19
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

**Gender**
Male	0
Female	33

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	0
Black	22
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	15
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	0
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	0
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	0
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

breast exam	32
gynecologic procedures	32

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD treated as a gynecologist in Cleveland, OH were breast exam and gynecologic procedures.

breast exam	19
doctor visit	19
gynecologic procedures	19

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD.

**Gender**
Female	59
Male	0

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	40
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	0
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	0
75 to 84	1
Less than 65	24
65 to 74	18

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, depression and diabetes.

Hypertension	45
High Cholesterol	31
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	9
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	16
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	0
Heart Failure	5
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	3
Diabetes	19
Atrial Fibrillation	0
Cancer	0
Dementia	0

Education & Training

Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1988. She completed residency at Columbia University Medical Center. She is certified by the Obstetrics and Gynecology - American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has a state license in Ohio.

Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (1988)

Residency: Columbia University Medical Center (1990)

Board Certification: Obstetrics and Gynecology - American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Licensed In: Ohio

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

University Hospitals

UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS MEDICAL GROUP INC

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD has a high overall rating with an average of 4.07 out of 5 stars based on 15 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Cleveland, OH.

4.07

Overall Rating

(15 Ratings)

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Karen Lynne Ashby, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
AbbVie Inc.	$503 LO LOESTRIN FE $177	ORIAHNN $155	Liletta $81	Orilissa $69	VRAYLAR $21
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc	$429 INVOKANA $429
HOLOGIC INC	$383 NovaSure $272	Novasure Myosure $94	THINPREP $11	Myosure $7
Hologic, LLC	$294 ACESSA PROVU SYSTEM $115	NovaSure $106	Myosure $33	APTIMA COMBO 2 $17	THINPREP $15	Other $7
Minerva Surgical, Inc	$174 ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION SYSTEM $174
Other	$1,375 MYFEMBREE $162	SONATA SONOGRAPHY-GUIDED TRANSCERVICAL FIBROID ABLATION SYSTEM $131	Diclegis $98	Trintellix $87	LO LOESTRIN FE $83	Other $813

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$3,003
Education	$155

Biography

Dr. Karen Ashby works as a general practice and gynecology. After completing medical school at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, she performed her residency at Columbia University Medical Center and Mount Sinai Medical Center, Cleveland. Her clinical interests include fibroids (leiomyoma), endometriosis, and gynecologic surgery. The average patient rating for Dr. Ashby is 4.0 stars (out of 5). She is professionally affiliated with the University Hospitals.