Physicians perform hysterectomy – the surgical removal of the uterus – to treat a wide variety of uterine conditions. Each year in the U.S. alone, doctors perform approximately 600,000 hysterectomies, making it the second most common surgical procedure.

Types of Hysterectomy

There are various types of hysterectomy that are performed depending on the patient's diagnosis:

• Supracervical hysterectomy – removes the uterus, leaves cervix intact
• Total hysterectomy – removes the uterus and cervix
• Radical hysterectomy or modified radical hysterectomy – a more extensive surgery for gynecologic cancer that includes removing the uterus and cervix and may also remove part of the vagina, fallopian tubes, ovaries and lymph nodes

Approaches to Hysterectomy

Open Approach
Surgeons perform the majority of hysterectomies using an "open" approach, which is through a large abdominal incision. An open approach to the hysterectomy procedure requires a 6-12 inch incision. When cancer is involved, the conventional treatment has always been open surgery using a large abdominal incision, in order to see and, if necessary, remove related structures like the cervix or the ovaries.

Vaginal Hysterectomy
A second approach to hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy, involves removal of the uterus through the vagina, without any external incision or subsequent scarring. Surgeons most often use this minimally invasive approach if the patient’s condition is non-cancerous, when the uterus is normal size and the condition is limited to the uterus.

Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
In laparoscopic hysterectomy, the uterus is removed either vaginally or through small incisions made in the abdomen. The surgeon can see the target anatomy on a standard 2D video monitor thanks to a miniaturized camera, inserted into the abdomen through the small incisions. A laparoscopic approach offers surgeons better visualization of affected structures than either vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy alone.

da Vinci Hysterectomy
This approach combines the advantages of conventional open and minimally invasive hysterectomies.

Which is Right for Me?

All patients are encouraged to discuss the options with their physician and make the decision based on sound medical advice. Minimally invasive vaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomies offer obvious potential advantages to patients over open abdominal hysterectomy including:

• reduced risk for complications
• a shorter hospitalization
• faster recovery

However, there are inherent drawbacks. With vaginal hysterectomy, surgeons are challenged by a small working space and lack of view to the pelvic organs. With laparoscopic hysterectomy, surgeons may be limited in their dexterity and by 2D visualization, potentially reducing the surgeon's precision and control when compared with traditional abdominal surgery.

A da Vinci Hysterectomy, combines the advantages of conventional open and minimally invasive hysterectomies but with far fewer drawbacks. It is performed using the da Vinci System, which enables surgeons to perform surgical procedures with unmatched precision, dexterity and control.

To find a doctor to perform your robotic assisted hysterectomy at Plantation General Hospital, call 1-866-442-2362 for a FREE physician referral to a daVinci specialist.

Plantation General Hospital is pleased to offer robotic assisted myomectomy. A new category of minimally invasive myomectomy, robotic assisted Myomectomy, combines the best of open and laparoscopic surgery. With the assistance of the da Vinci Surgical System surgeons can remove uterine fibroids through small incisions with unmatched precision and control. Among the potential benefits of robotic assisted Myomectomy as compared to traditional open abdominal surgery are:

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

Robotic Assisted Myomectomy

Robotic Assisted Myomectomy is performed with the da Vinci ®Surgical System, which allows your surgeon to perform a minimally invasive, yet remarkably precise, comprehensive reconstruction of the uterine wall, regardless of the size or location of your fibroids. The unique level of control and precision of da Vinci can also help your surgeon provide the most precise and thorough reconstruction possible. That can help to prevent a possible uterine rupture (tearing) during future pregnancies.

As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is unique to each patient and procedure. While myomectomy performed using the da Vinci Surgical System is considered safe and effective, this procedure may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.

To find a doctor to perform your robotic assisted myomectomy at Plantation General Hospital, call 1-888-256-7724 for a FREE physician referral to a daVinci specialist.

More than 120,000 women have surgery for uterine and vaginal vault prolapse each year in the United States. Prolapse or falling of any pelvic floor organs (vagina, uterus, bladder or rectum) occurs when the connective tissues or muscles in the body cavity are weak and cannot hold the pelvis in its natural position.

The weakening of connective tissues accelerates with age, after child birth, with weight gain and strenuous physical labor. Women with pelvic organ prolapse typically have problems with urinary incontinence, vaginal ulceration, sexual dysfunction and/or having a bowel movement.

The Treatment for Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Sacrocolpopexy is a procedure to surgically correct vaginal vault prolapse where mesh is used to hold the vagina in the correct anatomical position. This procedure can also be performed following a hysterectomy to treat uterine prolapse to provide long-term support of the vagina.

Open Surgery
Sacrocolpopexy has traditionally been performed as an open surgery. A 15-30 cm horizontal incision is made in the lower abdomen in order to manually access the inter-abdominal organs, including the uterus.

Robotic Assisted Sacrocolpopexy
If your doctor recommends sacrocolpopexy, you may be a candidate for a new surgical procedure called da Vinci Sacrocolpopexy. This procedure uses a state-of-the-art surgical system designed to help your surgeon perform a minimally invasive surgery through small incisions.

For most women, da Vinci Sacrocolpopexy offers numerous potential benefits over a traditional open approach:

• Significantly less pain
• Less blood loss and need for transfusions
• Less risk of infection
• Less scarring
• Shorter hospital stay
• Shorter recovery time
• Quicker return to normal activities

As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed since surgery is specific to each patient- and procedure.

To find a doctor to perform your robotic assisted Sarcocolpopexy at Plantation General Hospital, call 1-888-256-7724 for a FREE physician referral to a daVinci specialist.