Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy

Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy

A robotic-assisted hysterectomy is when surgeons remove your uterus with the help of robotic arms. It offers shorter recovery times and less scarring than traditional methods. Robotic surgery provides a high-definition, 3D view of the surgical area and gives surgeons a more extensive range of motion that’s more precise than the human hand.
What is robotic-assisted hysterectomy?

A robotic-assisted hysterectomy is a type of hysterectomy your surgeon performs with the help of a robotic machine. Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove your uterus. Your uterus is a hollow, muscular organ in your pelvis. It’s where a fetus grows during pregnancy.

In this type of hysterectomy, your surgeon makes small incisions (cuts) in your abdomen and uses robotic arms to separate your uterus from its surroundings. A robotic hysterectomy is different from a traditional hysterectomy because a surgeon controls the robotic arms with a controller while looking at a screen instead of being over top of your body. The surgeon has complete control over the robotic arms at all times.

There are several methods your surgeon may use to perform a hysterectomy. A robotic hysterectomy is just one of a few methods they may suggest based on your health history and diagnosis. It’s a type of minimally invasive surgery, which means surgery through small incisions.

People who have robotic-assisted hysterectomy often experience less pain, less blood loss and faster recoveries when compared to an open abdominal hysterectomy. Surgeons perform robotic hysterectomy using a da Vinci surgical system. This tool helps surgeons perform a variety of other minimally invasive surgeries.

Why do surgeons use robotic-assisted hysterectomy?

Some of the benefits a robotic-assisted surgery gives your surgeon are:

• A 3D, high-definition view of the surgical field with up to 15 times the magnification.
• Instruments that mimic the movement of human hands, wrists and fingers, allowing an extensive range of motion that’s more precise than natural hand and wrist movements.
• A constant steadiness of the robot arms, fingers and wrists make it easier to operate on organs and tissues for long periods of time and from angles and positions that are typically hard to reach.

Who May Need a Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy?

Your healthcare provider may recommend a robotic-assisted hysterectomy if you are experiencing:

• Heavy or abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Uterine fibroids (noncancerous growths)
• Uterine, cervical, or endometrial cancer
• Uterine prolapse (uterus slipping into the vaginal canal)
• Advanced endometriosis
• Pelvic adhesions or complex anatomical concerns