Gynecologic Oncology & Surgery Center
Da Vinci Robotic Surgery
Robotic-assisted surgery is performed with the da Vinci Surgical System, a device that guides surgeons through complex procedures with ease and safety. Most procedures are performed through a few tiny incisions that surgical hands are inserted into. Your surgeon controls these hands with controls in the device while looking through a lens in the console that provides a three-dimensional, magnified view of the area. The robotic hands mimic the movements of the surgeon's hands and will not move unless the surgeon is looking through the lens.
The da Vinci Surgical System offers patients
- Less pain
- Smaller incisions
- Less scarring
- Less bleeding
- Shorter recovery time
Although robotic surgery offers many advantages over traditional open procedures, they are not for everybody. Some women may still require open surgery to treat their conditions.
Dr. Albert Steren is the Medical Director of the G.A.T.E. Institute at Holy Cross Hospital, a training center for advanced laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery and was the first surgeon in Maryland to use the da Vinci surgical system for minimally invasive surgery. Dr. James Barter and Dr. Carolynn Young also use the da Vinci surgical system, offered at Suburban Hospital.
Minimally Invasive Surgery for Gynecological Conditions
Women often undergo surgery for a number of different gynecologic conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, excessive bleeding and cancer. While medication and nonsurgical procedures are available for most of these conditions, surgery is the only treatment to offer long-lasting, effective results.
Despite the frequency of these procedures, traditional gynecologic surgery requires large incisions and lengthy hospital stays, qualities that are quickly becoming outdated in the rapidly improving medical world. As technology improves, laparoscopy and other minimally invasive techniques have allowed for greater surgical precision, improved access and less traumatic surgical procedures for a wide range of conditions.
Minimally invasive surgery for gynecological conditions provides comparable results with smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, less pain and less scarring. These benefits will vary depending on the type of procedure performed and the individual patient. Minimally invasive techniques can be used during a hysterectomy, myomectomy or other types of surgery.
Endometriosis Treatment
Endometriosis is a medical condition in women in which the uterine lining (endometrium) moves out of the uterus and into other parts of the pelvic area such as the ovaries, bowels or behind the uterus. This condition affects about five million women in the US and is one of the most common health problems. It is generally not a serious or harmful condition, but can be painful and may interfere with your daily life.
During your period, this tissue swells and bleeds and sheds from the lining to be released within the menstrual flow. When it is in other areas, this swelling causes pain and may form scar tissue. There is no known cause of this condition, but it tends to run in families. Symptoms of endometriosis include:
- Painful menstrual cramps
- Chronic lower back and pelvic pain
- Pain during or after sex
- Heavy and/or long menstrual periods
- Infertility
Endometriosis can be diagnosed through an ultrasound or MRI. There is no cure for the disease, but symptoms can be treated depending on their type and severity. Talk to your doctor today if you think you may be experiencing endometriosis.
