Robotic assisted urogynaecological surgery

Types of robotic assisted urogynaecological procedures

A number of urogynaecological procedures can be done using da Vinci robotic technology. These include:

Rectopexy to correct rectal prolapse

Rectal prolapse is when the rectum is no longer supported by the internal connective tissues and descends to protrude through the anus. The rectopexy procedure repairs a rectal prolapse by restoring the rectum to its normal position.

Sacrocolpopexy to correct pelvic organ prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse affects approximately 10 to 15% of women. It can involve the vagina, uterus, cervix, bladder, urethra, or rectum and can result in general discomfort, bladder or bowel dysfunction. This can seriously impact the physical and sexual health, and quality of life of the person affected. Sacrocolpopexy repairs pelvic organ prolapse by restoring the collapsed organ to its normal position.

How does the da Vinci robotic system assist the surgeon?

The da Vinci system consists of a surgeon’s console, a patient side cart featuring robotic arms with proprietary wristed instruments that are controlled by the surgeon from the console, and a large screen on which to view the surgery.

  • The wristed instruments on the robot are able to bend and rotate to a greater degree than what the human hand can. This enables the surgeon to perform intricate and highly complex urogynaecological surgery with more precision and accuracy.

  • The slender, dexterous da Vinci instruments enter the skin through several small punctures in the abdomen. This enables the surgeon to operate on more than one area during the same surgery, if required.

  • Throughout the surgery, the robotic system continuously performs automated safety checks so that even the tiniest normal tremor in the surgeon’s hand is removed. This ensures high precision during surgery.

  • When navigating the pelvic area during surgery, the area being operated on is displayed in high definition 3D and can be magnified up to 10 times on the large full colour screen. This offers the surgeon a far superior view than is possible in open or laparoscopic surgery to ensure optimal precision.