da Vinci Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the uterus. Hysterectomies are used to treat problems of the uterus, including fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic support problems, abnormal uterine bleeding, cancer, and chronic pelvic pain, among others.

After a hysterectomy, a woman's periods will stop and she can no longer get pregnant.

There are several types of hysterectomy. The type of procedure used depends on the individual patient and her condition.

Abdominal hysterectomy. An incision is made in the lower abdomen to reach the uterus, resulting in longer healing time than vaginal or laparoscopic surgery.

Vaginal hysterectomy. The surgery is done through the vagina. Because the incision is inside the vagina, the healing time may be shorter than with abdominal surgery.

Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH). The uterus is removed through the vagina. Laparoscopic surgery is performed using a laparoscope, a thin, lighted telescope inserted through a small incision in the abdomen, enabling the doctor to see the pelvic organs on a screen while doing the surgery. Recovery from LAVH is similar to vaginal hysterectomy.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy. The uterus is removed in pieces through small incisions in the abdomen. Laparoscopic hysterectomy has a shorter recovery time than abdominal or vaginal hysterectomy.

A da Vinci® hysterectomy is a robot-assisted, minimally invasive procedure used to remove a woman's uterus.

The procedure uses unique technology known as the da Vinci Surgical System that offers patients a minimally invasive treatment option for complex hysterectomies.

Compared to traditional open surgery, a da Vinci hysterectomy requires only a few tiny incisions, providing all the benefits of a minimally invasive approach – shorter hospital stays, faster recovery, less pain, blood loss and scarring, fewer complications and a faster return to normal activities.

The robot technology also provides surgeons highly controlled surgical instruments that offer the precision and flexibility needed to perform complex, delicate hysterectomies – procedures that can be difficult or impossible with traditional laparoscopic surgery instruments.

A da Vinci hysterectomy enables women with complex conditions – who might otherwise have required open surgery – to have a minimally invasive procedure instead.

In a da Vinci hysterectomy, the surgeon performs the procedure with the help of thin robotic arms inserted into tiny, 1 to 2 centimeter incisions. These robotic arms replicate the exact movements of the surgeon's hands, wrists and fingers, moving tiny instruments inside the patient with greater dexterity, precision and control than possible with the human hand. While known as robot-assisted surgery, every surgical maneuver is performed by the surgeon.

The surgeon controls these robotic arms while sitting at a console a few feet away from the patient, viewing a high-definition, highly magnified, 3D image of the surgical area. The visibility and detail provided are far greater than that available through either open or laparoscopic surgery.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that allows the surgeon to remove the uterus from the abdomen without making a large incision.

A thin, lighted tube with a camera on the end, known as a laparoscope, is inserted into the abdomen through a very small incision. The camera sends images of the inside of the body to a TV monitor in the operating room, allowing the surgeon to see and operate without a large incision. Other small incisions may be made in the abdomen to insert very fine specialized surgical instruments. The uterus is removed in small pieces through these incisions.

Benefits over conventional surgery performed through a large incision (abdominal hysterectomy) include less pain, less blood loss, less risk of infection, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy requires general anesthesia and a hospital stay of one to two days. Recovery before returning to work is typically four to six weeks.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that allows the surgeon to remove the uterus from the abdomen without making a large incision.

A thin, lighted tube with a camera on the end, known as a laparoscope, is inserted into the abdomen through a very small incision. The camera sends images of the inside of the body to a TV monitor in the operating room, allowing the surgeon to see and operate without a large incision. Other small incisions may be made in the abdomen to insert very fine specialized surgical instruments. The uterus is removed in small pieces through these incisions.

Benefits over conventional surgery performed through a large incision (abdominal hysterectomy) include less pain, less blood loss, less risk of infection, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy requires general anesthesia and a hospital stay of one to two days. Recovery before returning to work is typically four to six weeks.

Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy is a minimally invasive surgery in which the uterus is removed through small incisions in the abdomen, leaving the cervix behind. The cervix remains in place for added support to the vagina and neighboring structures.

A thin, lighted tube with a camera on the end, known as a laparoscope, is inserted into the abdomen through a very small incision. The camera sends images of the inside of the body to a TV monitor in the operating room, allowing the surgeon to see and operate without the need for a large incision. Other small incisions may be made in the abdomen to insert very fine specialized surgical instruments.

Because laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy does not require a large abdominal incision, it is a much less invasive procedure than traditional methods of hysterectomy, with benefits that include less pain, less blood loss, less risk of infection, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.

This procedure requires general anesthesia with a hospital stay either as same day surgery or overnight. Recovery before returning to work is usually 7 to 14 days.