Robotic hysterectomy uses a robot to assist a surgeon to perform a laparoscopic hysterectomy. Consequently, the benefits of minimally invasive surgery are similar including less postoperative pain, tissue trauma, blood loss, and scarring; as well as a faster return to normal activities, compared to a more traditional open, abdominal hysterectomy.  That is a good development for patient care. However, the reality is it takes an additional 45 minutes under anesthesia to set up the robot, costs the patient thousands of dollars in fees, and ironically does not eliminate an assistant surgeon. Despite the compelling marketing hype by many hospitals and physicians trying to recoup their multi million dollar investment, there really are no additional benefits:

Robotic Laparoscopic Hysterectomy:

• Operation Time – longer to set up robot assistant
• Pain – Same
• Recovery Time – Same
• Risks – Same
• Costs – Thousands More

Laparoscopic Hysterectomy:

• Operation Time – Faster
• Pain – Same
• Recovery Time – Same
• Risks – Same
• Cost – Less

Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy (LSH), where only the uterus is removed is truly redefining hysterectomy. LSH is a partial hysterectomy that preserves your cervix, and often your ovaries, removing only the diseased uterus. It offers the shortest, least painful recovery. Laparoscopic hysterectomy (including the removal of the cervix) is also an option for those women who need or prefer it. Few surgeons are trained to perform these advanced procedures. In fact, the gynecologic surgeons at Women’s Health Specialists of Freemont were among the first (over a decade ago) to perform them in the San Francisco Bay Area. Click here to learn more about Women’s Health Specialists of Fremont & Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

So why not simply seek gynecologists who are experienced, skilled laparoscopic surgeons?

Meet Our Physicians of Women’s Health Freemont

• Margie Aleman-Martin, M.D.
• Siobhan L. Calhoun, M.D.
• Scott Kramer, M.D.
• Christina Wong, M.D.
• Elizabeth Kurkjian, M.D.
• Stacie Macdonald, M.D.
• Alison Slack, M.D.

Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Avenue, Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
Phone: (510) 796-7057
Fax: (510) 796-5198

On January 13th 2010 Atul Gawande, BAS, MD, MPH gave a speech at UCSF Medical Grand Rounds.  His 1 hour speech covered topics from his New York Times Best Seller “The Checklist Manifesto: How to get things done right”.  Dr. Gawande highlights the important role that a simple checklist can play in ensuring consistent, reliable, and high quality patient care.

This speech was captured on video and can be viewed at the links below.

• Watch 5 minute excerpts from Dr. Gawande’s speech.
• Watch the full 1 hour speech at the San Francisco Otolaryngology web site.

About Dr. Gawande:

A surgeon and a writer, Atul Gawande is a staff member of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the New Yorker magazine. He received his B.A.S. from Stanford University, M.A. (in politics, philosophy, and economics) from Oxford University, M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health. He served as a senior health policy advisor in the Clinton presidential campaign and White House from 1992 to 1993. Since 1998, he has been a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine. In 2003, he completed his surgical residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and joined the faculty as a general and endocrine surgeon.

• Learn more at Dr. Gawande’s web site www.gawande.com

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