Woman First Valley Patient to Undergo Hysterectomy Through Single Small Incision

HARLINGEN — Dr. Susan Hunter, Gynecologic Surgeon, has performed the Valley’s first robotic-assisted hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) surgery through a single small incision in a patient’s navel (belly button), using a new type of surgical instrumentation.

Dr. Hunter used the “single-site” da Vinci® ‘Si’ robotic surgical system at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen to perform the surgery for a Valley woman in her forties who was suffering from pelvic pain and abnormal menstrual bleeding, and had a large cyst in one of her ovaries. The entire surgery was performed through one incision, one inch long, in the patient’s belly button.

“Because of this, the patient went home the same day as her hysterectomy, with a small, barely-visible scar,” Dr. Hunter said. “That’s the nice thing for patients: faster recovery, less pain, and it’s very inconspicuous, so it looks better, cosmetically.”

The “single-site” surgery is considered virtually “scar-less”, because after the patient recovers, the scar in the navel is recessed, and very difficult to see in many cases.

Under the old traditional “open surgery” method with a larger incision, the patient would have had to spend three or four days in the hospital, Dr. Hunter said.

“Single-site robotic-assisted surgery enables these women to return sooner to their families, normal activities and jobs – saving them time and money in many cases,” Dr. Hunter added.

Although not all women are candidates for the single-site robotic procedure, Dr. Hunter said that many women are candidates for other small-incision options. She noted there are many benefits, in many cases, for those women who are able to have their surgeries with the less-invasive techniques.

For more information about minimally-invasive surgeries, consult your physician and visit www.ValleyBaptist.net