Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery for Patients with Gynecologic Cancers

Robot-assisted surgery for gynecologic cancers offers outstanding benefits for patients, including a shorter hospital stay and dramatically reduced recovery time due to significantly less pain and discomfort compared with open procedures. The robot-assisted approach also enables many gynecologic cancer patients who do not qualify for traditional laparoscopy to undergo minimally invasive surgery.

This innovative surgical approach offers:

• Shorter hospital stay – average 1.5 day stay for robotassisted radical hysterectomy, compared with a four-tofive day hospital stay following open hysterectomy;
  
• Faster recovery – Many patients are able to return to work two weeks following robot-assisted radical hysterectomy;
  
• Decreased blood loss – average of 50ml or less of blood loss and 3cm or smaller incision with robot-assisted radical hysterectomy;
  
• Minimally invasive option for gynecologic cancer patients with poor vaginal access, obesity, or scarring from prior surgery.
  

Enhanced Safety

Robot-assisted surgery also offers enhanced safety compared with traditional laparoscopy by providing improved range-of-motion, more finite control of instruments, and a three dimensional view with increased magnification of the patient’s anatomy.

Expanded Use of Robot-assisted Techniques

In addition to robot-assisted approaches for the treatment of gynecologic cancers, surgeons at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital provide robot-assisted laparoscopic genitourinary surgery, including nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital specialists also offer:

• Robot-assisted catheter ablation for cardiac arrhythmias (see page 2);
  
• Robot-assisted gastric bypass;
  
• Robot-assisted cholecystectomy;
  
• Robot-assisted pelvic, bowel, pancreatic and esophageal procedures.
  

Advanced Care for Patients with Gynecologic Cancers

Led by Ross S. Berkowitz, MD, a multidisciplinary team of leading specialists at the Gynecologic Oncology Program, including medical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists, gynecologic pathologists, radiologists, and many other specialists in gynecologic cancer, works together to provide individualized patient care using the latest treatment advances.

In addition to providing innovative techniques in minimally invasive surgery, the Program also offers unique, image-guided brachytherapy treatment for select patients with gynecologic cancers.

Indications for Referral

Robot-assisted surgery for gynecologic cancers may be used for:

• Select patients with cervical, endometrial, and uterine cancer;
  
• Staging or restaging of ovarian, endometrial, and uterine cancers.
  
• Primary and recurrent gynecological tumors.
  

Information and Referrals

For more information regarding the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, or to refer a patient, please contact our Referral Coordinators at 1-877-332-4294 or email dfbwhcancercenter@partners.org.

About Author:
For close to 175 years, Brigham and Women’s Hospital has been the most trusted name in women’s health. Our women health center has been the site for important advances in women’s health. Our team works to improve the health of women and transform their care. For more information about BWH, please visit http://www.brighamandwomens.org/.