Nearly 200 women attended Tuesday’s Women’s Connection luncheon at Abode Venue, where we had the opportunity to try operating one of Via Christi’s da Vinci Robotic Surgery Systems and hearing board-certified OB-Gyn Matthew Voth, MD, explain the minimally invasive gynecological procedures done with the system.

1. Rapid Recovery: How Robotic
Surgery Benefits Women
Matthew Voth, MD, OB-Gyn
Via Christi Clinic

3. Hysterectomy
 Most common GYN procedure
 1/3 of women by age 60
 620,000 per year
 73% for benign conditions

4. Reasons for Hysterectomy
 Irregular bleeding
 Painful periods
 Persistent abnormal pap smears
 Uterine prolapse
 Cancer

5. Types of Hysterectomy
 Total
 Partial
 Radical

6. Abdominal Vaginal
Laparoscopic Total
Assisted Vaginal Laparoscopic

7. Which one to choose?
VS.

8. What are we thinking?
 Safest route
 Shortest recovery
 Experience with procedure
 Long term outcome
 Alternatives

9. What should YOU be thinking?
 Effectiveness
 Shortest recovery
 Long term outcomes
 Alternatives??

10. Alternatives
 IUD
 Combined Hormone Therapy
 Lysteda
 Endometrial Ablation
 Uterine Artery Embolization

11. Abdominal Hysterectomy
 Long considered standard
 Better visualization
 Tactile advantage
 EBL 300-500 cc’s
 3 day hospitalization
 4-6 week recovery

12. Vaginal Hysterectomy
 No abdominal incisions
 EBL 200-500 cc’s
 1-2 day hospitalization
 2-4 week recovery
 Proper patient selection

13. Laparascopic Assisted Vaginal
 Faster recovery than abdominal approach
 3-4 small incisions
 EBL 100-300 cc’s
 2-4 week recovery
 Easier to get
ovaries/adhesions

14. Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
 100% completed from above
 Cervix can be left (controversial)
 Morcellator
 EBL 50-500 cc’s
 1-4 week recovery

15. In an ideal world.....
 Vaginal hysterectomy

16. Surgery
 Options to consider

17. da Vinci Robot

19. Advantages
 Can tackle ALMOST everything
 Recovery of Laparoscopy, visualization
better than open procedure
 Maneuverability of instruments
 Fast

20. What to Expect
 1 hour surgery
 Recover 2 hours, then to room
 Catheter out 4-6 hours post-op
 No restriction on eating
 Home the same day or following morning

21. What to Expect… continued
 Narcotics the first several days
 50% of patients, pain med free at 7 days
 Back to work in 1-3 weeks

22. Restrictions
VERY IMPORTANT
 No lifting> 20# for 6 weeks
 No intercourse for 6 weeks

23. Random Thoughts
 Ovarian preservation
 Hormone replacement therapy

24. Robotic Surgery

25. Robotic Surgery
Questions?