Hysterectomy

When medication and non-invasive procedures are unable to relieve symptoms, surgery remains the accepted and most effective treatment for a range of gynecologic conditions. These include, but are not limited to, cervical and uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, uterine prolapse and menorrhagia or excessive bleeding.
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. Yet with open surgery can come significant pain, trauma, a long recovery process and threat to surrounding organs and nerves. For women facing gynecologic surgery, the period of pain, discomfort and extended time away from normal daily activities that usually follows traditional surgery can understandably cause significant anxiety.

Fortunately, the surgeons at The Center for Robtic & Minimally Invasive Surgery at Ferrell-Duncan Clinc now make less invasive options available. Some gynecologic procedures enable surgeons to access the target anatomy using a vaginal approach, which may not require an external incision. But for complex hysterectomies and other gynecologic procedures, The Center for Robotic & Minimally Invasive Surgery at Ferrell-Duncan Clinic utilizes breakthrough robot-assisted surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System, which is often the most effective, least invasive treatment option. Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, our surgeons using the da Vinci System can operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast recovery and excellent clinical outcomes. You can learn more about our usage of advanced robotic surgery and it's benefits by talking with your Ferrell-Duncan Clinic physician.

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Physicians perform a hysterectomy (the surgical removal of the uterus)
to treat a wide variety of uterine conditions.
Each year in the U.S. alone, doctors perform approximately
600,000 hysterectomies, making it the second most common surgical procedure.

Types Of Hysterectomy

There are various types of hysterectomy that are performed depending on the patient's diagnosis:

  • Supracervical hysterectomy: removes the uterus, leaves cervix intact
  • Total hysterectomy: removes the uterus and cervix
  • Radical hysterectomy or modified radical hysterectomy: a more extensive surgery for gynecologic cancer that includes removing the uterus      and cervix and may also remove part of the vagina, fallopian tubes ovaries and lymph nodes in order to stage the cancer (determine how far      it has spread)

    • For more information on Radical hysterectomy, click here.

    Approaches To A Hysterectomy

    Surgeons perform the majority of hysterectomies using an "open" approach, which is through a large abdominal incision. An open approach to the hysterectomy procedure requires a 6-12 inch incision. When cancer is involved, the conventional treatment has always been open surgery using a large abdominal incision, in order to see and, if necessary, remove related structures like the cervix or the ovaries.

    A second approach to hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy, involves removal of the uterus through the vagina, without any external incision or subsequent scarring. Surgeons most often use this minimally invasive approach if the patient's condition is benign (non-cancerous), when the uterus is normal size and the condition is limited to the uterus. In laparoscopic hysterectomy, the uterus is removed either vaginally or through small incisions made in the abdomen. The surgeon can see the target anatomy on a standard 2D video monitor thanks to a miniaturized camera, inserted into the abdomen through the small incisions.

    A laparoscopic approach offers surgeons better visualization of affected structures than either vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy alone. While minimally invasive vaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomies offer obvious potential advantages to patients over open abdominal hysterectomy, including reduced risk for complications and a shorter hospital stay with faster recovery, there are inherent drawbacks. With vaginal hysterectomy, surgeons are challenged by a small working space and lack of view to the pelvic organs. Additional conditions can make the vaginal approach difficult, including when the patient has:


  • A narrow pubic arch (an area between the hip bones where they come together)
  • Thick adhesions due to prior pelvic surgery, such as C-section3
  • Severe endometriosis
  • Non-localized cancer (cancer outside the uterus) requiring more extensive tissue removal, including lymph nodes


    • With laparoscopic hysterectomy, surgeons may be limited in their dexterity and by 2D visualization, potentially reducing the surgeon's precision and control when compared with traditional abdominal surgery.
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    Robotic & Minimally Invasive Surgery

    "The Highest Standard of Surgery,
         Is Standard Operating Procedure..."




    The da Vinci Hysterectomy

    This is a new breaktrhourgh, minimally invasive approach to hysterectomy utlized by the surgeons at The Center for Robotic & Minimially invansive Surgery at Ferrell-Duncan Clinic, often referred to as "da Vinci Hysterectomy", which combines the advantages of conventional open and minimally invasive hysterectomies, but with far fewer drawbacks. da Vinci Hysterectomy is becoming the treatment of choice for many surgeons and patients worldwide. It is performed using the da Vinci System, which enables surgeons to perform surgical procedures with unmatched precision, dexterity and control.

    If your doctor recommends hysterectomy, you may be a candidate for da Vinci Hysterectomy performed by The Center for Robotic Surgery at Ferrell-Duncan Clinic, one of the most effective, least invasive treatment options for a range of uterine conditions. da Vinci Hysterectomy is performed using the da Vinci Surgical System, which enables your surgeon to perform with unmatched precision and control - using only a few small incisions.

    For most patients, da Vinci Hysterectomy can offer numerous potential benefits over traditional approaches to vaginal, laparoscopic or open abdominal hysterectomy, particularly when performing more challenging procedures like radical hysterectomy for gynecologic cancer. Potential benefits include:
  • Significantly less pain
  • Less blood loss
  • Fewer complications
  • Less scarring
  • A shorter hospital stay
  • A faster return to normal daily activities
    • Moreover, da Vinci provides your Center for Robotic Surgery surgeon with a superior surgical tool for dissection and removal of lymph nodes during cancer operations, as compared to traditional open or minimally invasive approaches. da Vinci Hysterectomy also allows your surgeon better visualization of anatomy, which is especially critical when working around delicate and confined structures like the bladder. This means that our surgeons have a distinct advantage when performing a complex, radical hysterectomy involving adhesions from prior pelvic surgery or non-localized cancer, or an abdominal hysterectomy.

    To learn more...



    If you are a candidate for hysterectomy, talk to a gynecologist or gynecologic oncologist (a cancer specialist) at The Center for Robotic Surgery at Ferrell Duncan Clinic

    At the Ferrell-Duncan Center For Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery,
    we perform da Vinci Hysterectomy's - click here to contact us
    NOTE: While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the da Vinci System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits. As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is both patient- and procedure-specific. While radical hysterectomy or abdominal hysterectomy performed using the da Vinci Surgical System are considered safe and effective, these procedures may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.