5 Great Benefits of Robotic Surgery

Having surgery can be a terrifying prospect when you hear about risks, recovery time, and potential for complications that can come with invasive open surgery techniques. The great news is that robotic-assisted surgery minimizes those risks and brings a number of benefits, enabling you to have safer surgery with less downtime, risk, and discomfort.

At Tahoe Women’s Care in Carson City, Nevada, Dr. Gary F. Willen uses the da Vinci® surgical system for hysterectomies because of the number of benefits that robotic surgery can bring. The robotic arms enable Dr. Willen to make finely controlled movements with surgical instruments through tiny incisions, and the 3D visualization of the surgery site allows for superior efficiency.

This powerful combination brings you these benefits:

1.    Robotic surgery causes less pain and discomfort

Painful hysterectomies are a thing of the past thanks to robotic surgery. The robotic arms have a greater range of movement than can be achieved by the human hand. This allows for better precision and means there is less trauma to your abdomen from damaged tissue and blood vessels. Less damage means less discomfort, pain, and other complications.

2.    Patients experience less blood loss

The risk of blood loss is something every surgeon tries to minimize. Blood loss is easier to avoid with robotic-assisted surgery thanks in part to da Vinci’s high-definition 3D visualization of the blood vessels — 3D improves depth perception and accuracy. Along with those finely controlled surgical movements that prevent damage in the abdomen, blood loss is significantly reduced with the da Vinci system.

3.    Smaller incisions mean less scarring than traditional open surgery

You don’t want a wide and unsightly scar covering your abdomen following your surgery. The da Vinci robotic system uses several tiny incisions to perform the operation rather than a single large one. Smaller scars tend to heal faster and eventually fade to look like silver stretch marks rather than an obvious surgical scar, meaning you can still wear your bikini with confidence at the beach.

4.    Robotic surgery has a lower risk of infection

Every effort is made to reduce the chance of infection with any operation, but the traditional open hysterectomy — in which the entire abdominal cavity is open — does carry a higher infection risk than minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. The smaller incisions used in robotic-assisted surgery mean wound size is easier to monitor and control, so there’s less chance of infection developing.

5.    Recovery times are faster with robotic surgery

The most commonly asked question when it comes to having surgery is “How quickly can I get back to work?” Downtime from traditional surgical approaches for a hysterectomy can be six to eight weeks, but because robotic surgery is minimally invasive, you could get back to your regular activities in just a few weeks.

With these benefits, it’s clear why Dr. Willen is such a fan of minimally invasive robotic surgery and why it’s an excellent option to consider when you’re told that you require surgical intervention. Dr. Willen carefully explains the process so you can make an informed decision. To learn more, book your consultation today by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.