Dr. Zakarian one of Idaho's leading Robotic surgeons practices in Boise Idaho at Saint Alphonsus Hospital, one of the most state of the art hospitals in the area. When medicine, lifestyle changes and other non-invasive treatments cannot ease your symptoms, Dr. Zakarian may recommend gynecologic surgery. Women facing gynecologic conditions such as fibroid tumors, endometriosis, heavy menstrual bleeding, cancer and pelvic prolapse often undergo surgery.
Open Surgery
With open surgery, a large incision is made in your abdomen - large enough for Dr. Zakarian to fit her hands and instruments inside your body. For generations, open surgery has been the standard approach to many gynecologic procedures and is still used today. However, with open surgery there are certain drawbacks and trauma to the body due to the large incision.
There are less invasive surgical options for many women facing gynecologic surgery.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
The most common minimally invasive surgery is laparoscopy. Instead of a large open incision, surgery is done through a few small incisions using a tiny camera and long, thin surgical instruments. The camera takes images inside your body and those images are sent to a video monitor in the operating room which guides surgeons as they operate.
da Vinci Surgery is another minimally invasive option for women facing gynecologic surgery. With da Vinci, Dr Zakarian makes just a few small incisions - similar to traditional laparoscopy. The da Vinci System features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system and special wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human wrist. As a result, da Vinci enables Dr. Zakarian to operate with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control.
State-of-the-art da Vinci uses the latest in surgical and robotics technologies and is beneficial for performing complex surgery. Dr Zakarian is 100% in control of the da Vinci System, which translates her hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside your body.
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of your uterus. Dr. Zakarian may recommend you have a hysterectomy if you have been diagnosed with:
Endometriosis
Heavy menstrual bleeding
Fibroid tumors
Pelvic prolapse
Cancer
In the U.S., doctors perform approximately 600,000 hysterectomies a year, making it the second most common surgery for women.1 While this figure is lower in many other parts of the world, a hysterectomy is a common procedure.
Gynecologic Conditions
Many benign (non-cancerous) conditions can affect your health and reproductive system which includes: the uterus, vagina, ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Common gynecologic conditions that can affect your reproductive system are:
Fibroid tumors (non-cancerous growths in the uterine wall)
Endometriosis (non-cancerous growths of the uterine lining)
Pelvic prolapse (falling or slipping of the uterus or vagina)
Treatment & Surgical Options
Dr. Zakarian will recommend a treatment or surgical option based on your diagnosis, symptoms, age and overall health. When medication and treatments cannot ease your symptoms, she may recommend a hysterectomy (surgical removal of your uterus). Dr. Zakarian may recommend another type of surgery that leaves your uterus in place, such as a myomectomy or endometriosis resection.
Learn more about gynecologic conditions & treatments:
"Before my robotic hysterectomy, I was in so much pain that it was interfering with my quality of life. I have 5 children at home between the ages of 1 and 7. They were having to watch a lot of TV while I lay on the couch, curled up in a ball. When Dr. Zakarian told me about the robotic hysterectomy, I was a little nervous to have surgery, but I was willing to do almost anything at that point. I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly I was able to recover and get back to my regular life. The scars are almost nonexistent and my pain is gone! Thank you Dr. Zakarin for allowing me to be the mom I need to be to my children! "
"I felt good about it. I had minimal complications and my healing went well. I felt really good after the first week and returned to work after the third week. I was out and about. My scars are super tiny. I've already told several of my friends."
"I have done pretty good since the procedure. I didn't feel that it was overly invasive. I have been cut open before and I would rather have the robotic procedure as it was much easier to heal from the very first day. I would have it again."
"The robotic surgery was great. I wish I had done it sooner. After talking to others it seems like my recovery was better than those who had regular surgery. My incisions are minimal compared to my friend's 3" scars. At 5 weeks I felt like myself again."
I haven't felt this good in a long time.
I couldn't be happier.
I'm so glad I did it.
I was back in work after 2 weeks.
I would recommend it in a heart beat.
I talked to my other friends who didn't have their hysterectomies done with the da vininci robot and their recorery was so much harder than mine was. I wonder if that was why. L.P.
Single Port da Vinci surgery
Watch this video of the accuracy of the single port da Vinci robot on a grape.
