Robotic hysterectomy: Faster, easier recovery with da Vinci®
Hysterectomy used to be a major surgery requiring a long hospital stay and weeks – if not months – of recovery.
Today, robotic hysterectomy can treat most benign gynecological surgical conditions including fibroids, endometriosis and menorrhagia. The procedure is safer, faster and less painful, using the minimally invasive da Vinci® system. The da Vinci® System allows surgeons to perform complex, delicate procedures, such as robotic hysterectomy, through very small incisions with minimal scarring and unmatched precision.
What is a hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a woman's uterus. Doctors can also opt to remove only part of the uterus when indicated. Depending on the causes behind the surgery, a doctor may also remove the fallopian tubes, ovaries and/or the cervix as well.
Hysterectomy is usually the final option for women who cannot find relief for reproductive health issues through other means. After a hysterectomy, a woman no longer has menstrual periods and cannot become pregnant. A hysterectomy that also removes the ovaries triggers early menopause.
A robotic hysterectomy can be used to treat many conditions, including:
- Uterine fibroids: Noncancerous growths in the wall of the uterus which can cause pain and abnormal or heavy bleeding.
- Heavy or unusual vaginal bleeding: Changes in hormone levels, infection, cancer, or fibroids can cause heavy, prolonged bleeding.
- Menorrhagia
- Uterine prolapse: When the uterus has inadequate pelvic support and slips down into the vagina. It is most common in women who had several vaginal births, after menopause or because of obesity. Prolapse can be painful and can lead to urinary and bowel problems and pelvic pressure.
- Endometriosis: When tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus on the ovaries where it doesn't belong causing severe pain and abnormal bleeding between periods.
- Adenomyosis: Tissue that lines the uterus grows inside the walls of the uterus causing uterine walls thicken leading to severe pain and heavy bleeding.
- Cancer (or precancer) of the uterus, ovary, cervix, or endometrium (uterine lining). If cancer or precancerous conditions exist anywhere in the reproductive system, hysterectomy may be the best option.
Helping Women Thrive, Not Just Survive.
Helping Women Thrive, Not Just Survive.
What is the da Vinci® Surgical System?
The da Vinci® Surgical System is a state-of-the-art robotic surgery platform that provides surgeons with an alternative to traditional open hysterectomy. By using a robotic hysterectomy technique, surgeons can perform the complex, delicate, and minimally invasive procedure quickly and safely. Smaller incisions mean a shorter and easier recovery and only a few small scars.
Robotic hysterectomy with da Vinci®
The pelvic area is a small space that houses several different systems. In the past, a large incision was required to gain access to and operate on the reproductive organs. da Vinci® allows doctors to reach areas not easily accessed by human hands and eyes without traditional open surgery.
Using the da Vinci® Surgical System, doctors control computer-driven instruments that can fit in tight spaces and are far more maneuverable than human hands. The surgeon uses a laparoscope, a thin tube with a light and camera at the end, to see inside the body as the internal organs and the whole procedure are displayed on a video screen.
Because it can perform a robotic hysterectomy through tiny incisions, da Vinci®’s surgical time is shorter, time under anesthetic is shorter, and recovery is much faster and less painful, giving patients better overall results.
da Vinci® robotic hysterectomy has many advantages over traditional open hysterectomy:
- Less visible scarring
- Less internal scarring
- Shortened hospital stays
- Faster recovery rates
- Fewer post-operative complications
- Less painful recovery
Why doesn’t every woman opt for da Vinci® robotic hysterectomy?
Not all physicians have the experience and skills required to confidently and successfully use the da Vinci® system for robotic hysterectomy. Dr. Stanislaus at Integrative Wellness has seven years of experience with da Vinci®, including performing robotic hysterectomy procedures to aid many women. If you are experiencing uterine pain, heavy bleeding or other life-disrupting reproductive health issues, advanced technologies like da Vinci® mean relief might be a short surgery and recovery away!
Consult with the experienced da Vinci® team at Integrative Wellness to talk about your minimally invasive surgical options. Schedule your consultation today!