When patient Melissa York learned that she needed a hysterectomy, Dr. Zena Monji, MD, OB-Gyn., told York about a minimally invasive technique known as da Vinci Robotic Surgery. Some of the benefits patients may experience when their surgeon uses da Vinci are significantly less pain and less blood loss.
After having a complete hysterectomy using da Vinci technology,
York says, “The da Vinci surgery was so different from others I had. It was a very positive experience for me. I never felt incredibly weak. I was able to get back quickly to caring for my family and get back to my job sooner. Only eight days after surgery I kept a dentist appointment that required my sitting in a dentist chair for 3 hours, and I was fine. If you can believe it, only 16 days after my da Vinci surgery, I gave a public talk at a major event, where I was required to do a good deal of standing and sitting.”
York is one of nearly 600 surgery patients who have benefited from the progressive da Vinci Robotic Surgery system at McKenzie-Willamette, which in 2009 marked its third anniversary.
In March 2006, shortly after a major medical center in Portland installed the system, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center became the second medical center in Oregon to invest in the da Vinci® Surgical System, bringing the benefits of this revolutionary minimally invasive surgery to Oregonians in regions outside the Portland area.
What was once a multiday stay in the hospital and six weeks of recovery can now be an overnight in the hospital and just two weeks or less of downtime for women facing surgery for some gynecological conditions, thanks to McKenzie-Willamette's Oregon Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, featuring Robotic-Assisted Surgery da Vinci® S™. |
Drs. Geoff Gill, Zena Monji, and Audrey Garrett, perform women's surgeries at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center using the da Vinci robotic surgery system.
Patient Theresa Schaecher* could not be happier with the results of her da Vinci surgery, done by gynecologist Zena Monji. “Prior to the surgery, I was in a lot of pain and unable to do many of the things I enjoy,” says Schaecher. “Immediately after the surgery, I had very little pain -- and no bleeding. During my one-night hospital stay, I barely used the pain medicine IV. Back home on day two and three, I took a little prescription pain medicine. Within a week of surgery, all I was taking was some over-the-counter pain relievers.”
“A hysterectomy is major surgery, but the short recovery time, amount of pain and no bleeding were equivalent to what happened after a minor surgical procedure I had last July (which did not take care of the problems I was having). I am thrilled with the results, and I am really looking forward to getting back to hiking and being active again.”
A gynecologist for 11 years, Dr. Monji has extensive experience in traditional and laparoscopic surgery techniques. She performs approximately two complete hysterectomies per week, using the da Vinci equipment at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.
The advantages to patients are many and may include:
- Shorter hospital stay
- Less pain
- Faster recovery time
- Quicker return to normal activities
- Less risk of wound infection
- Less blood loss
- Less scarring
Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Sacrocolpopexy
At McKenzie-Willamette, the Oregon Urinary Institute now performs da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery to treat prostate problems and laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy or vaginal dropping. Vaginal dropping or vaginal vault prolapse often occurs after a woman has a hysterectomy. Urogynecologist Connie DiMarco uses the robotic system for sacrocolpopexy and other complex women's procedures.
Some things to be aware of:
- It requires general anesthesia.
- The presence of excessive scar tissue from previous surgical procedures may interfere with the laparoscopic camera’s ability to visualize the area. These patients may not be suitable candidates for robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.
- The 2 to 2 1/2 hours of the repair is still longer than the 1-hour time taken to perform open abdominal sacrocolpopexy.
- A successful outcome for all the various sacrocolpopexy surgeries requires that a patient refrain from lifting any significant amount of weight for 6 weeks following surgery
For more information about robotic-assisted surgery at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, call the Center for Women's Health, 686-7007, or Oregon Urology Institute, 484-0221 / 746-1618.
*Quoted and/or pictured patients have consent forms on file with the Medical Records Department at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.