I'm going to have a hysterectomy and would like to know more about having this done using robotic surgery method.

Minimally Invasive: The robot is being overly marketed for benign hysterectomy which is already done with standard minimally invasive techniques. Abdominal hysterectomy should be very rare in this day and age. Laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy are the preferred approaches. The robot adds significant expense without proven benefit over standard laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Revolutionary option: Robotic hysterectomy using the da vinci surgical system allows the surgeon to perform complex surgery using minimally invasive techniques. We can do hysterectomies this way without making a large incision. The benefits to the patient are less pain, less blood loss and a faster recovery. Wfaa news: http://macobgyn.Com/drpl/?Q=node/97.

High tech/small cuts: Hysterectomy can be performed vaginally, laparoscopically, robotically, or open (large abdominal incision). These are listed in order of invasiveness. Complex surgeries (large uterus, endometriosis, known scarring or adhesions), gynecologic cancer may be performed more effectively yet still minimally invasively using the robotic assist. Simple hyst usually better vaginally or l'scopically.

Minimally invasive: A robotic hysterectomy is a type of laparoscopic hysterectomy using small incisions which means less pain and shorter recovery time than a large incision. The robot offers additional tools that can enhance visualization and make it easier for the surgeon to precisely control the instruments. Hand motions of the surgeon are perfectly reproduced by the instruments.

Abdominal, vaginal?: The true benefit of using the robot is in cases where the patient would have to undergo an open incision such at treating endometrial (uterine) cancer or where hysterectomy would have to be done open, abdominal approach, because of some condition present. Otherwise vaginal hysterectomy is the least invasive approach. However, many physicians do not have a lot of experience in vaginal surgery.

Not usually needed: The need to use the da vinci robot when having a hysterectomy is based on the expected difficulty with performing the surgery. The robot is helpful for patients who are very obese, who have had extensive previous surgeries and will have the associated adhesions, or who have cancer and need a more extensive procedure including lymph node dissections. Most hysterectomies do not need the robot.

Robotic hysterectomy: Robotic hysterectomies have been done for a while now and are quite common. It is safe if done by an experienced robotic surgeon. I know several gynecologists that perform nearly all of their hysterectomies robotically. The benefit to the surgeon is better visualization, better dexterity with the robotic instruments, and often fewer incisions for the patient.