When you hear the phrase “robotic surgery,” you may picture a science fiction scene in which a Star Wars-type robot stands at an operating table performing surgery. Although it’s funny to think of C-3PO doing operations, the reality of robotic surgery looks much different.
Despite what its name implies, robotic surgery is performed by a surgeon, not by a robot. When we use robot-assisted surgical techniques, you get the best of both worlds: a surgeon’s expertise, skill, and judgment, along with assistance from a robotic system that amplifies your surgeon’s vision, precision, and dexterity.
At Virtuosa GYN in San Antonio, Texas, Susan Crockett, MD, and her team of highly trained care providers use the da Vinci™ robotic surgical system.
Dr. Crockett, who is a master-level surgeon in da Vinci robotic surgery, shares some important information with you about why she uses robotic surgery to provide her patients with the very best care, and how robotic surgery works.
Greater precision and control
Before the development of robotic surgery and laparoscopic techniques, surgeons performed what’s known as open surgery. Open surgery requires a large incision that gives a surgeon enough room to see the surgical area and to undertake any necessary procedures.
Laparoscopic robotic surgery is minimally invasive, which means it requires only a couple of very tiny incisions instead of much larger incisions, which take longer to heal and leave significant scars.
Incisions can be small because robotic surgical tools are tiny and are connected to computer monitors that display magnified images.
During robotic surgery, your surgeon is always in complete control. The da Vinci system features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system that gives your provider enhanced vision during your procedure. It also includes tiny instruments that bend and rotate at greater angles and with better precision than the human wrist.
Surgeons have used the da Vinci surgical system for more than 6 million surgeries worldwide. It is safe, effective, and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Benefits of robotic surgery
Robotic surgery delivers a range of potential benefits to patients, including:
- Faster recuperation time
- Fewer postoperative complications
- Less bleeding
- Less pain
- Less need for pain medication after surgery
- Less scarring
- Less time in the hospital or procedure room
- Lower postoperative infection rates
- Quicker recovery
- Smaller incisions
The da Vinci robotic system is used for a wide range of medical procedures in various parts of the body, from the heart to the head to the colon.
Here at Virtuosa GYN, we use the da Vinci system for many gynecological conditions that require surgery, including:
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Gynecological cancers
- Urinary incontinence
If you require gynecological surgery or care for any other women’s health condition, our caring, all-woman team at Virtuosa GYN in San Antonio, Texas, is here to help. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
