Imagine a procedure where the surgeon sees things in 3D, magnified 40 times more than normal, and where the patient can have less pain and faster recovery. This is the potential of robotic-assisted surgery for many gynecological conditions.

“I’ve had some patients who underwent complicated surgery, and less than 12 hours after surgery, were sitting up in a chair and feeling great with very little pain,” says McLeod Gynecologist Paul Chandler, MD. “There’s an absolutely amazing difference between traditional open surgery and doing this with robotic assistance.”

Many gynecological surgeries can be performed with traditional open surgery, involving larger incisions, or minimally invasive surgery with several small incisions. Robotic-assisted gynecological surgery is another, newer minimally invasive option for women to consider.

“You can use robotic-assisted surgery for a woman who needs a hysterectomy,” says Dr. Chandler. “You can use it for endometriosis, for large fibroids or for a woman with excessive bleeding.” 

Advantages for the surgeon that lead to benefits for the patient include:

• The robotic instruments are designed to reach the exact angle to stop a blood vessel’s bleeding.
• All the robot’s movements are very smooth and precise, minimizing damage to surrounding tissue and organs.
• Overall, there’s less blood loss and damage to surrounding tissue as well as a lower risk of infection compared to open procedures.

Other benefits to the female patient include less pain and a more rapid recovery.

“I’ll see patients two weeks after surgery with their makeup on and dressed in their usual clothes,” says Dr. Chandler. “They walk in like they haven’t had surgery. It amazes me every time I have someone come back to see me after surgery.”

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