Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus, is a common surgery often recommended to female patients in order to treat conditions such as endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, and gynecological cancer. Traditionally, a hysterectomy would require open surgery and extensive recovery time. Now with robotic-assisted technology, most hysterectomies can be performed via minimally invasive surgery, such as that offered at Kelsey-Seybold.

Minimally Invasive Procedure

During an open surgery hysterectomy, the surgeon removes the uterus through a large incision in the abdomen. This puts patients at higher risk for blood loss and infection, and can result in significant scarring.

Conversely, during a robotic-assisted hysterectomy, several small incisions are made near the belly button. A laparoscope, or tiny camera, is inserted into one of the incisions. Surgical instruments are inserted into the other incisions. These instruments are attached to the da Vinci® Surgical System’s robotic arms that are controlled by the surgeon. The uterus is cut into small pieces that are removed through the incisions. This procedure greatly reduces the risk of blood loss and infection, and typically results in minimal scarring.

The da Vinci® system has been used in more than 3 million minimally invasive procedures throughout the world, and has been approved by the FDA as a safe and effective form of surgery. Potential benefits of a da Vinci hysterectomy include a lower complication rate, shorter hospital stay, less blood loss, and lower hospital readmission rate.

If you have been diagnosed with a condition that may require a hysterectomy, the experts at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston can consult with you to determine if robotic-assisted hysterectomy is right for you.