da Vinci Surgery at Pacific Gynecology Specialists

Incorporation of the da Vinci robotic surgical system into our clinical practice at Pacific Gynecology Specialists is an exciting change in the scope of our practice. Our group was the first to introduce robotic surgery for the care of women with gynecologic malignancies in the five state region (WA, OR, AK, MT, WY).

Currently, eight providers - Drs. Bland, Drescher, Everett, Lieppman, Marrs, Paley, Shah and Veljovich - are using the da Vinci robotic surgical system. We have been working with this technology for almost 5 years, and have completed over 1200 robotically-assisted laparoscopic procedures, the most in the five state region. We currently use this technology to perform a full range of gynecologic and oncology procedures, including simple hysterectomy, oophorectomy, lymphadenectomy, radical hysterectomy, cancer staging, and even abdominal sacral colpopexy for vaginal prolapse.

Our experience with this system has been presented at the Seattle Gynecologic Society, the Pacific Coast Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, the Washington State Obstetrical Society, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology Winter Meeting, and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting in 2009. Our research findings were published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2008 and can be accessed at the following link: da Vinci Research Findings.

We have found that robotic surgery provides numerous benefits to our patients. These benefits include less blood loss, fewer transfusions, less surgical pain, less post-operative narcotic usage, better cosmetic results, less risk of injury, a shorter hospital stay, and quicker post-operative recovery. Patients return to work and daily activities more quickly. And patients with cancer can initiate chemotherapy or radiation treatments more quickly, with fewer side effects.