Women have special needs when it comes to gynecological surgery. The reproductive system includes many delicate organs that can affect hormones, fertility and other body systems. Many gynecological issues, like problems with your period, can be addressed with medication and other treatments. But when these options are not effective, surgery might be required.

Hysterectomy

Traditional open gynecologic surgery, using a large incision for access to the uterus and surrounding anatomy, has been the standard approach to many gynecologic procedures. Open surgery can come with significant pain, trauma, a long recovery process and threat to surrounding organs and nerves.

For complex hysterectomies and other gynecologic procedures, robot-assisted surgery may be the most effective, least invasive treatment option. Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, Vista surgeons can operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast recovery and excellent clinical outcomes.

Potential benefits include:

• Significantly less pain
• Less blood loss
• Fewer complications
• Less scarring
• A shorter hospital stay
• A faster return to normal daily activities

Fibroids & Treatment Options

Uterine fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) tumors occurring in at least one quarter of all women. They can grow underneath the uterine lining, inside the uterine wall, or outside the uterus.

Many women don’t feel any symptoms with uterine tumors or fibroids. But for others, these fibroids can cause excessive menstrual bleeding (also called menorrhagia), abnormal periods, uterine bleeding, pain, discomfort, frequent urination and infertility.

Treatments include uterine fibroid embolization – which shrinks the tumor – and surgery. Surgical treatment for uterine tumors most often involves the surgeon removing the entire uterus, via hysterectomy.

While hysterectomy is a proven way to resolve fibroids, it may not be the best surgical treatment for every woman. If, for example, you hope to later become pregnant, you may want to consider alternatives to hysterectomy like myomectomy, which is a uterine-preserving procedure performed to remove uterine fibroids.

Myomectomy

Minimally invasive myomectomy allows surgeons to remove uterine fibroids through small incisions.

The conventional approach to myomectomy is open surgery through a large abdominal incision. After cutting around and removing each uterine fibroid, the surgeon must carefully repair the uterine wall to minimize potential uterine bleeding, infection and scarring. Proper repair is also critical to reducing the risk of uterine rupture during future pregnancies.

Robotic Surgery may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.