da Vinci® Hysterectomy: Cancer Surgery
Finding out you have cancer may be one of the hardest things you’ve faced. That’s why it’s important to learn about all of your options before choosing the best path forward.
Know Your Options
If your doctor suggests a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) for cancer, there may be two options: open surgery through one large incision (cut) or minimally invasive surgery through a few small incisions using traditional laparoscopy or da Vinci Surgery.
Why da Vinci Surgery?
The da Vinci System is a robotic-assisted device that your surgeon is 100% in control of at all times. The da Vinci System gives surgeons:
- A 3D HD view inside your body
- Wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human hand
- Enhanced vision, precision and control
da Vinci Hysterectomy (simple total)* offers the following potential benefits compared to traditional open surgery:
- Fewer complications1,2,3,4
- Fewer blood transfusions1,2,3,4
- Shorter length of stay1,2,3,4,5
- Less estimated blood loss1,2,3,4,5
da Vinci Hysterectomy (simple total)* offers the following potential benefits compared to traditional laparoscopy:
- Similar or fewer complications1,3,4, 5
- Similar or fewer blood transfusions1,3,4, 5
- Similar or shorter length of stay1,3,4,5
- Similar operative time1,3,4,5
- Similar or lower conversion rates1,3,4,5
- Less estimated blood loss1,3,4,5
da Vinci Hysterectomy (radical)* offers the following potential benefits compared to traditional open surgery:
- Similar complication rates1,2,4,6,7,8,9
- Fewer blood transfusions1,2,4,6,7,9
- Shorter hospital stay2,3,4,6,7,8,9
- Less estimated blood loss1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9
- Less need for narcotics after the surgery8,9
da Vinci Hysterectomy (radical)* offers the following potential benefits compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery:
- Similar complications1,4,6,7,9
- Similar or fewer blood transfusions1,4,6,7,9
- Similar or shorter hopspital stay1,4,6,7,9
- Similar operative times1,4,6,7,9
- Similar conversion rates(switch to open surgery) 1,4,6,7
- Similar or less estimated blood loss4,6,7,9
The da Vinci System has brought minimally invasive surgery to more than 3 million patients worldwide. da Vinci technology – changing the experience of surgery for people around the world.
- To locate a da Vinci surgeon nearest you, use our surgeon locator.
- Learn more about the da Vinci Surgical System.
* Simple total hysterectomy: removal of the uterus, cervix and possibly ovaries and fallopian tubes; it may also involve lymph node removal. Radical hysterectomy: removal of the uterus, cervix, upper portions of the vagina, and possibly ovaries and fallopian tubes; it may involve lymph node removal and tissue surrounding the organ.
Risks & Considerations Related to Hysterectomy, Cancer (removal of the uterus and possibly nearby organs): injury to the ureters (the ureters drain urine from the kidney into the bladder), vaginal cuff problem: (scar tissue in vaginal incision, infection, bacterial skin infection, pooling/clotting of blood, incision opens or separates), injury to bladder (organ that holds urine), bowel injury, vaginal shortening, problems urinating (cannot empty bladder, urgent or frequent need to urinate, leaking urine, slow or weak stream), abnormal hole from the vagina into the urinary tract or rectum, vaginal tear or deep cut.
- O’Neill, M., et al. (2013). Robot-assisted hysterectomy compared to open and laparoscopic approaches: systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 287: 907-918.
- O’Sullivan, S. (2011). HIQA Ireland Health technology assessment of robot-assisted surgery in selected surgical procedures.
- Ran, L., et al. (2014). Comparison of robotic surgery with laparoscopy and laparotomy for treatment of endometrial cancer: a meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 9: e108361.
- Reza, M., et al. (2010). Meta-analysis of observational studies on the safety and effectiveness of robotic gynaecological surgery. British Journal of Surgery.
- Gaia, G., et al. (2010). Robotic-assisted hysterectomy for endometrial cancer compared with traditional laparoscopic and laparotomy approaches: a systematic review. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 116: 1422-1431.
- Geetha, P. and M. Nair (2012). Laparoscopic, robotic and open method of radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer: A systematic review. Journal of Minimal Access Surgery. 8: 67-73.
- Shazly, S. A., et al. (2015). Robotic radical hysterectomy in early stage cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Gynecologic Oncology.
- Halliday, Darron, Susie Lau, Zvi Vaknin, Claire Deland, Mark Levental, Elizabeth Mcnamara, Raphael Gotlieb, Rebecca Kaufer, Jeffrey How, Eva Cohen, and Walter H. Gotlieb. “Robotic Radical Hysterectomy: Comparison of Outcomes and Cost.” Journal of Robotic Surgery 4.4 (2010): 211-16. Print.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Serious complications may occur in any surgery, including da Vinci® Surgery, up to and including death. Individual surgical results may vary. Patients should talk to their doctor to decide if da Vinci Surgery is right for them. Patients and doctors should review all available information on non-surgical and surgical options in order to make an informed decision. Please also refer to http://www.daVinciSurgery.com/Safety for Important Safety Information.
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