dVH/RALH: Robotic hysterectomy scheduled for July 8

I have an approx 8 cm fibroid in the muscle do the uterus. My cycles are every 21 days and then long and heavy. :-( I can feel the tumor, especially in the morning when my bladder is full.

I'm looking forward to surgery but scared at the same time. My OB has done less than 5 robotic hysterectomies. I came >< this close to opting for abdominal surgery.

Hi Donnettacb98 - to HysterSisters

Your mix of emotions is very normal. This is one tough surgery to digest and process.

Regarding the surgery type and your doctor's experience with it, you really need to make the choice that is right for you. If you are not comfortable with the experience level, can you get someone else to perform the surgery?

Sorry for the slow reply. I guess I need to download the ipad app because I tend to not post when I'm on the iPad. :-)

I had another appointment with my doctor after finding out how few robotic surgeries he had done and I felt a lot better. Without even telling him some of the complications I had read, he went over them and what they know now to avoid them (like don't over cauterize).

I'm not really emotional about the surgery at all. Just more a little nervous about the procedure itself. I kind of have this feeling that I might end up with an abdominal surgery and sort of expect time to find more issues once they get in there. I wonder how often that happens.

Glad you talked with the doctor. Honestly, I know doctors need experience but having done only 5 I would wonder. But is that 5 after his training?

I watched a youtube video of a robotic hysterectomy and was fascinated. It also allowed me to have questions to ask my doctor on pre-opt if he did this or that as was done in the video. I also asked him if he had another doctor assist him. He told me he has an RN who went to a 6 month training on the machine to be certified. He also told me that half way through the surgery they stop what they are doing - double check my name bracelet, what I am having done, what I have consented to, and my medical history including any thing I might be allergic to. I am sure since he expected a 1 1/2 hour surgery not 3 hours he needed that break.

Also I googled my doctors name since he was new to me. I read reviews I could find including at healthgrades.com to reassure myself that he was competent and not have a history of patient problems.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Donnettacb98 I'm not really emotional about the surgery at all. Just more a little nervous about the procedure itself. I kind of have this feeling that I might end up with an abdominal surgery and sort of expect time to find more issues once they get in there. I wonder how often that happens.

It really depends on what they find once they get in there, and what your doctor is comfortable with. I do not know how often the switch is made.

I started out with a total abdominal due to my particular situation, even though my doctor did Da Vinci.

I have expected to wake up with a small incision. I have never been pregnant so he was not sure he would be able to stretch my vagina enough to get the uterus through. He said if he couldn't he would make about a 4 inch incision to remove it through. Happily it did stretch.