Hysterectomy Surgery - How It Works / Benefits

Dabvinci Hysterectomy Surgery
Beth Evelyn Nelson, M.D. Gynecologic Oncology
and Allan Mayer, D.O. Gynecologic Oncology

Then & Now

It was common practice for surgeons performing hysterectomies to make a large incision through the abdomen. Now, with the enhanced dexterity and ultimate precision of robotic arms, surgeons can perform hysterectomies through 1-2 cm incisions. With the da Vinci® S™ Surgical System, surgeons are able to treat more complex, delicate cases through a minimally invasive approach while maintaining the same “look and feel” of open surgery.

Statistics

According to the National Women’s Health Information Center, each year more than 600,000 hysterectomies are performed in the U.S. The surgery is performed most often on women ages 35 to 49. The most common conditions for hysterectomy surgery are fibroid tumors, endometriosis, and uterine prolapse.

Da Vinci Hysterectomy Surgery – How It Works

Through four dime-size incisions, surgeons insert the da Vinci instruments into the abdomen. The instruments have the same range of motion as a human hand, but with increased stability and precise accuracy. A camera with multiple lenses is attached to a third robotic hand and placed in the main incision. This gives the surgeon a magnified, three-dimensional view of the pelvic area. The surgeon, next to the patient, sits at a remote console controlling the robot's every move while viewing the surgery on a computer monitor.

Post-Operative Robotic Surgery

Da Vinci Hysterectomy surgery takes between two and three hours. Once the surgery is completed, a patient can expect a one-to-two-day overnight stay in the hospital instead of the more typical 5 days. Recovery time with robotic surgery is greatly reduced from 6-8 weeks to 1-2 weeks.

Patient Benefits

As a result of undergoing a hysterectomy by way of robotic surgery, a patient will endure less pain, smaller incisions, a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery time.

Ask your doctor about whether da Vinci Hysterectomy surgery is right for you.