Da Vinci Surgical System | Robotic-Assisted Surgery
At Women’s HealthFirst in northwest suburban Chicago, our OB-GYN providers proudly use the da Vinci Surgical System for robotic-assisted surgery, such as a robotic hysterectomy.
In 2000, the robotic surgical system was the first of its kind to be approved by the FDA as a safe and effective method of performing minimally invasive surgery. The da Vinci Surgical System received FDA approval for use in gynecological surgical procedures in 2005.
Many surgeons prefer robotic-assisted surgery for the added level of precision and control it provides during surgery. Patients benefit from all the usual rewards of a minimally invasive surgery (instead of a traditional, “open” surgery), including a reduced risk of infection and bleeding, reduced scarring, less post-op pain, and a quicker-than-average recovery time.
Components of the Da Vinci Surgical System
Manufactured by Intuitive Surgical Inc. in Mountain View, California, the da Vinci Surgical System was designed to be used during laparoscopic surgical procedures.
Robotic Arms
The system’s robotic arms can fit into compact spaces within the body and maneuver in a way that human hands can’t. For example, a robotic arm can bend and rotate 360°. Its movement can be paused or even reduced to slow motion when needed. The da Vinci robotic arms are steadier, more flexible, and more accurate than any surgeon’s hands could be. This maneuverability makes it ideal for complex gynecological surgeries that take place in compact, recessed areas of a woman’s body.
Miniature instruments approximately the width of a pencil are attached to the robotic arm and allow your physician to carry out the surgery. A camera and light are also attached to the arms to allow the closest possible view to the surgery site.
The Console
During a robotic-assisted surgery, your surgeon sits at a special console in the operating room that provides a magnified, high-definition, 3D view of the surgery site on a video monitor. At the same time, your surgeon operates the robotic arms through hand movements that are precisely replicated by the robotic arms, in real time.
In addition, your surgeon can adjust the camera position or angle during a robotic-assisted surgery, when needed, for a better view. This is different from a laparoscopy alone, in which the camera remains fixed in place during that type of minimally invasive surgery.
Gynecology Applications for Robotic Surgery
These days, robotic-assisted surgery is used to treat a wide range of gynecological conditions. Procedures that can be performed using the da Vinci Surgical System include:
- Hysterectomy
- Myomectomy (to remove uterine fibroids)
- Sacrocolpopexy (to repair pelvic organ prolapse)
- Endometrial resection (to treat heavy periods)
- Oophorectomy (removal of one or both ovaries)
Robotic Surgery With the Da Vinci Surgical System
The OB-GYN surgeons at Women’s HealthFirst have the experience you need for a state-of-the-art, minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery. Dr. Erwin Szela at Women’s HealthFirst, for example, is a certified da Vinci surgeon.
Interested in exploring your robotic-assisted surgery options using the da Vinci Surgical System? Call Women’s HealthFirst at (847) 808-8884 for more information or simply request an appointment now.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our five convenient locations in northwest suburban Chicago.
