What is Hysterectomy?
In the United States, hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) is so common that more than half a million women undergo this procedure every year. The hysterectomy surgery rate is second only to a cesarean childbirth delivery (C-section).
Some of the reasons your physician may recommend a hysterectomy are: gynecologic cancer, problematic fibroids (benign uterine tumors), abnormal vaginal bleeding, uterine prolapse, chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis that doesn’t respond to other treatments.
Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy
Women today have a much better option for hysterectomy than previous generations had. While their grandmothers may have had to heal from large abdominal incisions and spend several days in the hospital, women today have options for minimally invasive procedures, including robotic-assisted surgery.
Robotic-assisted surgery is extremely precise, allowing the surgeon to make smaller incisions that lead to much quicker recovery. Patients experience less blood loss and considerably less post-operative pain.
Patients can rest assured that the surgeon is in complete control at all times, guiding the robotic instruments to the uterus and ovaries. The uterus can be removed through the vagina or the umbilicus (belly button). Such small incisions not only heal quickly, there is minimal, if any, scarring.
The number of robotic surgery cases a surgeon has performed is of utmost importance, as results are greatly improved with experience. Dr. Robison is among the most experienced GYN robotics surgeons in the region, having completed well over 1,000 procedures.
Women who have a hysterectomy do not experience surgical menopause. This occurs only when the ovaries are removed (oophorectomy), which may or may not occur at the same time. Depending on the patient’s age and other factors, hormone therapy may be recommended to replace the estrogen no longer being provided by the ovaries.