Robotic-Assisted Surgery

When you have to undergo any kind of surgery, it’s natural to be a little nervous about what to expect. At our office, we pride ourselves on having the most state-of-the-art technologies and the best techniques. When you come to our office for your surgery, you are in the capable, skilled hands of Dr. Sherry Thomas. And now, thanks to advances in modern, minimally invasive surgery, those hands have an additional way to help you: advanced minimally invasive surgery through robotics.

With robotic surgery, Dr. Thomas can work with the small incisions of laparoscopic surgery for certain gynecological problems while doing precise movements that previously were only possible via traditional open surgery. Examples of the kinds of problems that can be helped with robotics include certain types of hysterectomy, the removal of benign tumors, surgery on certain gynecological cancers, pelvic prolapse and some surgeries for endometriosis.

Robotic surgery in gynecology has been FDA-approved since 2005, and we are pleased to be able to offer it as an option for some of our patients. This kind of technique means that our patients get all the benefits of minimally invasive procedures, plus less pain, less loss of blood, and far less need for blood transfusions. In addition, robotic surgery can mean a shorter hospital stay, less time needed for recovery, and faster healing so that you can return to your normal activities that much sooner.

Dr. Thomas uses robotics to assist with surgery, but she is always in complete control. Think of the robotics as a surgical tool, albeit a very advanced and precise one. Robotic assistance allows tiny, delicate movements that were not possible prior to this medical and technological advancement. The ability to perform those movements decreases the need for larger incisions — like the kind in open surgery — which means that procedures that used to be done in the more traditional way can now be done in ways that are considered “minimally-invasive.” Thanks to this, there is far less scarring and also less risk of postoperative infection.

The way that robotic surgery works is actually very simple and is much the same regardless of the procedure. Dr. Thomas will make a small incision at the surgical site so that a small camera on the end of a long tube can be inserted. That camera allows Dr. Thomas to see inside your body on your body as she controls and manipulates the robotic “arms” that will do the surgery itself. The arms are the actual surgical tools, which are entirely controlled by the surgeon; they work the way she needs them to work via a computer and the actual gestures and movements of Dr. Thomas. That means you are always and quite literally in her hands — just technologically-advanced ones, in this case.

Your surgery can therefore be completed without any large incisions, and always under the watchful eye of the doctor you know and trust. And you get all of this along with the advances that robotic surgery can provide: quicker recovery, minimal pain, minimal blood loss, less scarring, and less need for special post-operative care.

Robotic Surgery isn’t an option for everyone or for every urogynecological surgery. But it may be an option for you. When you come to discuss your surgical needs, Dr. Thomas and our entire medical team here in our Agoura Hills office will go over all of your options in order to determine the best one for you.

To learn more about robotic surgery and how it may be able to help you, call our office today.