Da Vinci® Robotic Surgery Procedure
 Women often undergo surgery for a number of different gynecologic conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, excessive bleeding and cancer. While medication and nonsurgical procedures are available for most of these conditions, surgery is the only treatment to offer long-lasting, effective results, and may involve procedures such as a myomectomy, hysterectomy or sacrocolpopexy, among others.
Despite the frequency of these procedures, traditional gynecologic surgery requires large incisions and lengthy hospital stays, qualities that are quickly becoming outdated in the rapidly improving medical world. While less-invasive laparoscopic procedures are becoming more and more common, robotic-assisted surgery offers even more advantages than any other type of procedure and can be used for many gynecologic surgeries, allowing surgeon to perform their procedures virtually, by controlling the tiny and precise hands of a robotic device.
About the da Vinci Surgical System
Robotic assisted surgery at Dr. Quartell’s office is performed with the state of the art da Vinci Surgical System, a device that guides surgeons through complex procedures with ease and safety. The system is comprised of a surgeon console, where Dr. Quartell sits and operates the master controls as he views the operating area through real-time images; the patient-side cart, which has four robotic arms that actually perform the procedure as well as provide images for the surgeon; and the EndoWrist instruments, which are the tools that perform the intricacies of the procedure and are completely controlled by Dr. Quartell.
Most procedures are performed through a few tiny incisions that surgical hands are inserted into. Dr. Quartell controls these hands with controls in the device while looking through a lens in the console that provides a three-dimensional, magnified view of the area. The robotic hands mimic the movements of the surgeon's hands and will not move unless the surgeon is looking through the lens.
Benefits of Robotic Surgery
The da Vinci Surgical System offers patients several benefits over traditional surgical techniques, including:
- Less pain
- Smaller incisions
- Less scarring
- Less bleeding
- Shorter recovery time
Dr. Quartell can achieve more precise, customized results with the full control and visualization provided by the da Vinci system. Actual results will vary depending on each patient’s individual condition and the type of procedure being performed, but most patients are able to achieve
 Robotic-Assisted Procedure
Myomectomy is used to treat uterine fibroids, non-cancerous tumors that occur within the uterine lining. While many treatments are available to remove fibroids, only surgery ensures complete removal with little risk of recurrence. Robotic-assisted myomectomy offers the surgeon more precise movement to assure complete removal of the tumor while leaving healthy tissue intact.
During the robotic myomectomy procedure, several tiny incisions are made across the abdominal area to insert a camera and the robotic arms which are controlled by the surgeon. The fibroids are removed while the uterus remains intact. The da Vinci system can also be used to perform a hysterectomy, which removes the uterus and sometimes the cervix as well to treat fibroids, endometriosis and several other gynecological conditions.
Risks of Robotic Surgery
Although robotic surgery offers many advantages over traditional open procedures, they are not for everybody. There are certain risks associated with robotic surgery, including infection and bleeding, although these risks are significantly less than those associated with traditional procedures. Regardless of these factors, some women may still require open surgery to treat their conditions.
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