Robotic surgery at Ochsner represents a significant advance in gynecological care and treatment for these patients allowing Ochsner surgeons the ability to offer the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to a broader range of patients. Potential patient benefits include:

• Shorter hospital stay (one day in most cases versus 3-5)
• Significantly less pain post-operatively (often only over-the-counter pain meds required)
• Quicker recovery and return to normal activities (1-2 weeks versus 6-8 weeks) Fewer complications & less risk of infection
• Less scarring: Small, dime-sized incisions versus 6-8 inch scar

da Vinci Surgery may be the most effective and the least invasive option for many gynecologic conditions requiring surgery.

Traditional open gynecologic surgery, using a large incision for access to the uterus and surrounding anatomy, has for many years been the standard approach to many gynecologic procedures. However, open surgery can cause significant pain, physical trauma and a long recovery process. For women facing gynecologic surgery, the period of pain, discomfort and extended time away from normal daily activities that usually follows traditional surgery can also cause significant anxiety.

Alternately, the da Vinci surgical system enables Ochsner surgeons to access the operative area through just a few tiny incisions, thereby minimizing the need to perform traditional abdominal (open) surgery. This approach allows for a shorter hospital stay and much quicker recovery time.

In the United States, the hysterectomy is the most common of female surgeries, with roughly 650,000 performed annually. It is performed for a variety of conditions, including:

• Excessive Bleeding
• Fibroids
• Endometriosis
• Uterine Prolapse
• Cancer and pre-cancer

Similarly, there are roughly 50,000 myomectomy (fibroid removal) procedures performed annually in the United States, the vast majority of which are performed via a large open incision. It is also estimated that more than 70,000 procedures are performed in the U.S. annually to treat severe uterine prolapse or vaginal vault prolapse, the vast majority of which are surgically corrected through an open incision.

da Vinci is a registered trademark of Intuitive Surgical, Inc.