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The Condition: Uterine Disease, Including Cancer, Fibroids, Endometriosis & Prolapse
A wide variety of conditions affect the uterus, or womb. The uterus is a hollow, muscular organ which holds and feeds a fertilized egg. Traditionally, many conditions affecting the uterus are treated with hysterectomy — the surgical removal of the uterus. U.S. doctors perform about 600,000 hysterectomies every year, making it the second most common surgical procedure.
Hysterectomy may offer a life-saving treatment with serious conditions such as cancer or uncontrollable bleeding. In most cases, however, hysterectomy is an elective procedure performed to relieve chronic pain, bleeding or other disabling conditions. These may be caused by fibroids (noncancerous tumors); endometriosis (noncancerous growth of the uterine lining) or prolapse (falling or slipping of the uterus).
The Treatment: Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy can sometimes be performed through the vagina. However,
when the uterus is enlarged — for example, from fibroids or cancer — an
abdominal hysterectomy is preferable. This requires a 6-12 inch incision. In
some cases, doctors also remove the ovaries because they are thought to
release hormones contributing to the condition.
While hysterectomy is relatively safe, it may not be appropriate or necessary
for all individuals or conditions. Alternative treatments that can
preserve the uterus and ovaries may be available. Always ask your doctor
about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.
da Vinci® Hysterectomy: A Less Invasive Surgical Procedure
If your doctor recommends hysterectomy, you may be a candidate for
a new, less invasive surgical procedure called da Vinci Hysterectomy.
This procedure uses a state-of-the-art surgical system designed to
help your surgeon perform a more precise, minimally invasive procedure.
For most women, da Vinci Hysterectomy offers numerous
potential benefits over traditional surgical approaches, including:
- Shorter hospital stay
- Less pain
- Faster recovery
- Quicker return to normal activities
- Less risk of wound infection
- Less blood loss
- Less scarring
As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is
patient- and procedure-specific.
The Enabling Technology: da Vinci® Surgical System
The da Vinci Surgical System is powered by state-of-the-art
robotic technology. The System allows your surgeon’s hand
movements to be scaled, filtered and translated into precise
movements of micro-instruments within the operative site.
The da Vinci System enhances surgical capabilities by enabling
the performance of complex surgeries through tiny surgical
openings. The System cannot be programmed, nor can it make
decisions on its own. The da Vinci System requires that every
surgical maneuver be performed with direct input from your
surgeon.
The da Vinci Surgical System has been successfully used in tens of
thousands of minimally invasive procedures worldwide. |