da Vinci Hysterectomy and Robotic Gynecologic Surgery
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a condition that may require surgery, you owe it to yourself to learn about all of your medical options, including the most effective, least invasive surgical treatments available.
The da Vinci® Surgical System provides surgeons with an alternative to both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, putting a surgeon’s hands at the controls of a state-of-the-art robotic platform. The da Vinci System enables surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision.
Our physicians lead the Gainesville/Lake City area in robotic surgeries, performing several gynecological surgeries every week. As a preferred provider for referring doctors and with Dr. Agrios as chairman of the hospital-wide NFRMC robotics committee, our physicians hold expertise in these advanced techniques not found elsewhere locally.
For the patient, benefits may include:
- Shorter recovery time
- A faster return to normal daily activities
- And in many cases, better clinical outcomes
- Significantly less pain
- Less blood loss
- Less scarring
da Vinci Patient Stories
Hear directly from patients like you who have experienced da Vinci Surgery: https://www.intuitive.com/en-us/patients/da-vinci-robotic-surgery
da Vinci Hysterectomy
Traditional open gynecologic surgery, using a large incision for access to the uterus and surrounding anatomy, has for many years been the standard approach to many gynecologic procedures. Yet with open surgery can come significant pain, trauma, a long recovery process and threat to surrounding organs and nerves.
For complex hysterectomies and other gynecologic procedures, robot-assisted surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may be the most effective, least invasive treatment option. Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, surgeons using the da Vinci System can operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast recovery.
1 Johnson W, Demaria E. Surgical treatment of obesity. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;9(2):167-74.
How does robotic surgery work?
Robotic surgeries are often misunderstood. Despite the name, medical robots like the da Vinci® Surgical System do not operate on their own. Every movement is guided in real time by a highly trained surgeon.
Is the surgeon in the room during robotic surgery?
Yes, during the procedure, your surgeon sits at a console in the operating room and uses hand and foot controls to direct the robotic instruments. These instruments are attached to small arms positioned over the surgical site.
A high-definition, 3D camera provides a magnified view of the area, allowing the surgeon to see fine details that would be difficult to view with the naked eye.
As the surgeon moves their hands, the system translates those motions into smaller, more precise movements inside the body. The instruments can bend and rotate in ways that mimic, and in some cases improve upon, the range of motion of the human wrist. This added precision is what allows complex procedures to be performed through very small incisions.
To be clear, the robotic system cannot make decisions or perform any part of the surgery on its own.
It only responds to the surgeon’s input. In addition to the primary surgeon at the console, a surgical team is present at your side throughout the procedure to assist and ensure everything runs smoothly.
For patients, this means you’re not being “operated on by a robot.” You’re being treated by an experienced surgeon who is using advanced technology to perform your procedure with greater accuracy, control, and care.
Single-site incision hysterectomy – faster recovery, fewer risks
Hysterectomy, or surgical removal of the uterus, is a major surgery many women face—on average, over 600,000 procedures are performed each year.
It’s not a procedure anyone takes lightly and is only recommended as a last resort for a variety of conditions like endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, or cancer of the uterus, ovaries, and other parts of the reproductive system.
If you must undergo a hysterectomy to address your condition, there are highly advanced treatment options that are much easier on you and safer than traditional open-incision surgery.
According to Dr. Agrios, single-site incision hysterectomy is actually a combination of several advancements.
Traditional hysterectomy surgery requires a fairly large 6-10 inch incision that’s cut either up and down or side-to-side. It’s a very intensive procedure with the possibility of many complications. Recovery time is long, and the procedure leaves a very noticeable mark.
Robotic surgery, though, has developed over the years and made the procedure slightly less invasive, but it still requires 3-5 small incisions or punctures.
Combining these robotic advancements with laparoscopic procedures has allowed surgeons like Dr. Agrios to perform the procedure using only 1 incision about 1 inch long.
Advancements in robotic instruments mimicking a human wrist have given surgeons much more flexibility—thus requiring only a very small incision to perform a hysterectomy.
