Not Your Mother's Hysterectomy

There’s no doubt that robotic surgery has changed the traditional hysterectomy, allowing for a completely different experience than what your mother or grandmother once had.

Thanks to the latest advances in technology, robotic surgery has changed the traditional hysterectomy. OBGYN Cranston Cederlind, MD, has delivered well over 5,000 babies and counting at Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC). Throughout his career, he has stayed on the cutting-edge long enough to deliver you and your children, while also being the first in the Midwest to perform a supra-cervical hysterectomy.

During the 30s and 40s, hysterectomies were done as open abdominal procedures that involved large incisions in the lower abdomen, and oftentimes led to a hospital stay between seven and 10 days. A supra-cervical hysterectomy was completed where the uterus was removed, but the cervix was left in place. The rationale behind that was that if the cervix was removed with the uterus, gravity would impact the internal organs and prolapse (protrusion of internal organs, often the bladder, through the birth canal) was more likely.

The next phase of gynecologic surgery was completing a hysterectomy through the vagina, a procedure that is still being done today. With this approach, the cervix is removed along with the uterus, sighting the incidence  of cervical cancer. The removal of the cervix has varied over the years and is something that should be discussed with your physician, along with your health history, to determine the best option for you.

Supra-cervical hysterectomies once again gained popularity with the availability of pap smears for the diagnosis of cervical cancer. While some women choose to keep their cervix in order to maintain the vaginal vault in its original version, minimize disruption of sexual pleasure, as well as decrease the chance of prolapsed organs, others want to eliminate the risk of cervical cancer and the possibility of another surgery.

Technology has made significant strides over the years, especially when considering the hysterectomy your mother or grandmother maybe once had. With the assistance of the da Vinci™ robot, the robotic hysterectomy is done through very tiny incisions. Surgeons use articulation and magnification up to 10 times what the human eye can provide unassisted. Your tiny incisions are minimal. Additionally, the chance of infection or the need for a blood transfusion is decreased. Patients undergoing  a robotic- assisted vaginal hysterectomy generally spend less than 24 hours in the hospital and can return to their normal activities in a matter of days.

Although there are advantages to a robotic hysterectomy, please talk with your physician about whether or not you are a candidate and to determine the best option for you.