Hysterectomies Have Come Along Way Thanks to Robotic Assistance

At the Advanced Endometriosis Center, my team and I take plenty of time to explain how robotic-assisted surgery works and why it makes your hysterectomy safer than when it’s performed using other types of surgical techniques.

It may seem like something straight out of a futuristic movie, but the truth is that the da Vinci® Surgical System and its advanced robotic technology have revolutionized gynecologic surgery, especially hysterectomies.

Since it’s the best way to protect and promote your health, I perform robotic-assisted hysterectomies whenever possible, so let’s talk about the procedure and how it benefits your health.

Open surgery versus minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery

The FDA approved the da Vinci Surgical System for gynecologic surgery in 2005. Before then, all hysterectomies were performed using open surgery.

Open surgery requires an incision that’s about five to eight inches long — it has to be long enough to allow the surgeon’s hands and surgical tools to access the uterus and perform intricate surgery inside your body.

By its nature, open surgery causes more trauma, increases the amount of bleeding, and has a higher risk of complications.

Sometimes open surgery is necessary, but in most cases, hysterectomies (and every other type of gynecologic surgery) can be done using minimally invasive procedures.

Robotic-assisted surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery. It’s done using small incisions (less than one-half inch long) and similar tools as other minimally invasive procedures.

As a result, robotic-assisted surgery offers all the same benefits, such as:

• Less bleeding
• Fewer complications
• Reduced post-op pain
• Minimal scarring
• Quicker recovery

It’s hard to imagine, but you can undergo a procedure as serious as a hysterectomy and go home the same day. By comparison, open surgery demands three to five days in the hospital.

Here’s the deal about robotic-assisted hysterectomies

The first thing to know about robotic surgery is that it is robotic-assisted surgery. Contrary to sci-fi movies, sentient robots do not perform your hysterectomy.

The robotic system assists me during surgery. With robotic technology, I can do your surgery with more precision and finesse than can be accomplished with human hands.

When you undergo a robotic-assisted hysterectomy, you get the best of two worlds:

Personal touch

You have my personal attention, professional judgment, and years of surgical experience.

Cutting-edge technology

You also gain the benefit of advanced robotics that enhance my hand movements and provide an exceptional view of the tissues inside your body.

Everything you should know about the da Vinci robotic system

The da Vinci Surgical System includes three basic components:

• Vision cart that holds image-processing equipment
• Patient-side cart that contains the surgical components, including the robotic arms
• Surgeon’s console, which is where I perform your surgery

The robotic arms are equipped with a laparoscope, which contains lighting and a camera, as well as the diverse instruments needed to perform a hysterectomy.

All the tools, including the laparoscope, are specially designed to be inserted through long, narrow tubes that fit through the small incisions.

The surgeon’s console includes a monitor that gives me a view of the surgical site. It also has the master controllers that attach to my hands and fingers and allow me to direct every movement made by the robotic arms.

Don’t worry though; it’s not just you and the robot. You’re constantly monitored by highly qualified surgical nurses and assistant surgeons who stay by your side while I perform your hysterectomy at the surgeon’s console.

Benefits of robotic assistance when performing a hysterectomy

Hysterectomies have come a long way thanks to the capabilities of the robotic system. This is technology at its finest, creating a better way to perform medically necessary surgery, which in turn, protects your health and wellbeing.

Here are the top reasons why da Vinci robotic-assisted hysterectomies are called the gold standard:

Optimal visualization

The da Vinci system transmits 3D, high-definition images from inside your body that give me true-to-life images and more — I can see the smallest details using the system’s zoom capabilities.

Intuitive EndoWrist® instruments

The robotic arms are equipped with superior EndoWrist instruments that intuitively respond to my hand and finger movements. At the same time, they’re small enough to work inside your body where human hands can’t easily reach, which means significantly less trauma to the tissues.

Enhanced dexterity

The EndoWrist instruments can perform micromovements, they have fingertip control, and they execute movement with a range of motions that exceeds human hands.

Hysterectomies truly have come a long way from the days of open surgery. Thanks to robotic-assisted surgery, your hysterectomy is safer, your recovery is quicker, and you don’t have to spend days in the hospital.

Providing the highest-quality care and protecting your health is the reason I specialize in robotic-assisted surgery. If you have any questions or would like to learn whether your condition can be treated using the da Vinci Surgical System, call the Advanced Endometriosis Center, or book an appointment online.