A Surgeon's Perspective
David Galland, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist who performs robotic-assisted surgery at Marin General Hospital, points out that hysterectomy is the most common major female surgery. About 650,000 are conducted in this country every year -- the majority through open abdominal surgery.
"Performing hysterectomies and other gynecologic surgeries in a less invasive, more precise way is providing enormous benefits to many patients," Dr. Galland explains. "Robotic-assisted surgery can be tremendously helpful in performing hysterectomies for various conditions, including cancer. It is also advantageous in conducting myomectomies for removing uterine fibroids and sacrocolpopexies for correcting vaginal vault or uterine prolapse."