If you’ve been advised to get a full or partial hysterectomy, you may be feeling anxious. Having your uterus and possibly fallopian tubes and ovaries removed is major surgery that may send you into early menopause. The good news is that hysterectomy can alleviate painful symptoms and remove troubling growths. MemorialCare offers minimally invasive hysterectomy with the da VinciⓇ Surgical System for greater precision and a shorter recovery time.
What is a hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes some or all of a woman’s reproductive organs. There are three types of hysterectomy:
- Partial hysterectomy: removes the upper uterus only
- Total hysterectomy: removes the entire uterus, including the cervix; fallopian tubes and ovaries are also removable
- Radical hysterectomy: removes the entire uterus and cervix, including the top of the vagina, plus ovaries and fallopian tubes
There are also different methods of performing a hysterectomy:
Through the vagina
This is the least invasive approach, with the shortest recovery time.
Through the lower abdomen
A large incision may be needed when the uterus is enlarged, or sizeable fibroids or other tumors are present. This method has an extended recovery time, and the risks are high.
Via laparoscopy
MemorialCare offers a high-tech, robotic version of laparoscopic surgery: the da Vinci Surgical System. Incisions are smaller, recovery time is shorter, and there are fewer risks than with an abdominal approach.
Why do I need a hysterectomy?
Radical hysterectomies are usually performed only in cases of cancer. Other medical conditions that may be improved or resolved with a hysterectomy include:
- Uterine fibroids
- Uterine prolapse
- Endometriosis
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Thickened uterus
- Uterine cancer
What is the da Vinci Surgical System?
The da Vinci system is the first robotic surgical system to be approved by the FDA. A minuscule camera on a robotic arm provides a high-definition 3D image of the operating area.
Your surgeon’s finger movements command the camera and the tiny, highly flexible surgical tools. The da Vinci tools can perform more precise bending, twisting, and rotating movements than a human hand can, which facilitates the performance of complex and delicate procedures.
Advantages of the da Vinci System include:
- Smaller incisions
- Less blood loss
- Fewer complications
- Less pain
- Quicker recovery
- Smaller scars