Minimally Invasive Surgery Specialist

What is laparoscopic surgery?

To understand what laparoscopic surgery is, it’s important to know how it compares to traditional open surgery.

In open surgery, your surgeon accesses your uterus and other pelvic organs through a large incision. A larger incision also needs more stitches or staples to be closed and involves longer healing and recovery time.

Laparoscopic surgery, however, uses tiny, 1-2 centimeter incisions. Your surgeon then inserts a tiny camera and small, specialized surgical instruments through these openings to perform the procedure.

Because the camera provides a high-definition, 3D view of your pelvic organs and structures, the laparoscopic method is far more precise than traditional open surgery.

What is robotic surgery?

Robotic surgery takes the innovation of laparoscopic surgery one step farther. In addition to using miniature instruments through tiny incisions and magnified, high-definition 3D images as a guide, robotic surgery uses a highly-advanced platform to give your surgeon unprecedented accuracy, maneuverability, and control.

Contrary to what the name implies, robots don’t perform robotic surgery; a more accurate name might be robot-assisted surgery. The platform itself has four arms; up to three of those arms can hold miniature surgical instruments while the fourth holds a laparoscope (a thin tube fitted with a tiny camera and light).

Your surgeon controls the movement of each arm from a console in the operating room. As the camera relays live, magnified images to a high-definition monitor, your surgeon can see the treatment area more closely and clearly than they could without the camera.

The robot precisely replicates every movement your surgeon makes with the master controls. It’s important to note your surgeon is in complete control of the instruments at all times.

How is minimally-invasive surgery used in gynecology?

You may be a candidate for minimally-invasive surgery if you need a hysterectomy. Minimally-invasive surgery may also be your best option if you have endometriosis that needs resection surgery.

The specialists at North Scottsdale Women’s Health use minimally-invasive surgical procedures to treat several common gynecological conditions, including:

• Uterine fibroids
• Ovarian cysts
• Severe pelvic pain
• Heavy uterine bleeding
• Pelvic prolapse

Minimally-invasive surgery is also the go-to method for tubal ligation, a form of permanent birth control that cuts, ties, or blocks your fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy.

What are the benefits of minimally-invasive surgery?

The main advantage laparoscopic and robotic surgery have over conventional open surgery is they’re far more precise. This is a good option for more complex gynecological surgeries, including hysterectomies.

Because minimally-invasive procedures also cause less physical trauma and pain, you can expect a quicker recovery and a lower risk of post-surgery complications.

To learn more about the benefits of minimally-invasive gynecological surgery, call North Scottsdale Women’s Health or book your appointment online today.