da Vinci® Surgery for Gynecologic Conditions
Fast Facts
Hysterectomy – A hysterectomy – removal of the uterus – is recommended for several conditions such as: fibroid tumors, severe endometriosis, heavy uterine bleeding and certain gynecologic cancers.
1 in 3 women in the U.S. will have a hysterectomy before age 601
Hysterectomy is the 2nd most common operation for U.S. women2
· More than 600,000 hysterectomies are performed each year in the U.S3
· Fibroids are the #1 reason women have a hysterectomy4
Myomectomy – Myomectomy is the surgical removal of fibroid tumors. It preserves the uterus and is an alternative to hysterectomy for women who want to get pregnant. Fibroids are non-cancerous and typically located in the uterine wall.
Uterine fibroids occur in up to 1/3 of all women5 
20-40% of all women have fibroids during reproductive years
60,000 myomectomy procedures are performed each year in U.S.5
More than 50% are still performed through a large open incision5
Sacrocolpopexy - Sacrocolpopexy is the surgical correction of vaginal and uterine prolapse (falling) using mesh to hold the vagina or uterus in the correct position.
- More than 50% of women still have an open sacrocolpopexy, requiring a large abdominal incision6
- Prolapse occurs more often in women who have had multiple children, large babies or who engage in strenuous physical labor
da Vinci Surgery provides precise treatment for gynecologic conditions in a minimally invasive fashion – through tiny incisions instead of a long open incision. da Vinci offers several potential patient benefits compared to open surgery, including:
- Better clinical outcomes, in many cases8
- Shorter hospital stay & faster recovery8,9
- Significantly less pain8
- Tiny incisions for minimal scarring
Patient Comment: “I walked four hours after hysterectomy which removed uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, and what turned out to be over 100 lymph nodes for pathologic study. I went home after 17 hours in the hospital and resumed a normal lifestyle that included walking several miles at the end of the week of surgery.”
- Brenda Gordon , da Vinci Hysterectomy for uterine cancer
While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the da Vinci® System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits. PN 8780440 Rev. A 04/09
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. www.womenshealth.gov/faq/hysterectomy.htm. 8/22/2008
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Ibid
5. Mack MJ. Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery. JAMA. 2001 Feb; 285:568-572
6. Boyles SH, Weber AM, Meyn L. Procedures for pelvic organ prolapse in the United States, 1979-1997. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Jan;188(1):108-15
7. Worcester S. Repairing post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse: little data available. International Medical News Group. 11/1/2003
8. Boggess JF. Robotic surgery in gynecologic oncology: evolution of a new surgical paradigm. J Robotic Surg (2007) 1:31-3
9. Payne TN, Dauterive FR. A comparison of total laparoscopic hysterectomy to robotically assisted hysterectomy: surgical outcomes in a community practice. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2008 May-June;15(3):28