Gynecological Conditions

Hormonal Imbalance

Your menstrual cycle is controlled by hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. When these hormones are out of balance, they can cause heavy periods or bleeding between periods. Causes of hormonal imbalances may include:

• Hormonal changes in teens and in women nearing menopause
• Diabetes
• Thyroid Disease
• Obesity
• Stress
• Strenuous exercise
• Anorexia (eating disorder)

Types of Uterine Growths

• Fibroids/Myoma – benign (non-cancerous) growths in or near the uterus
• Polyps – growths that attach to the inner wall of the uterus and protrude into the uterine cavity
• Adenomyosis – endometrial tissue normally lining the uterus grows into the muscular walls of the uterus
• Endometriosis – tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus grows outside your uterus
• Hyperplasia – an abnormal proliferation of cells in the uterine lining. There are different types of hyperplasia which may be pre-cancerous lesions.
• Endometrial cancer – an uncontrolled growth of cells of the uterine lining

Treatment Options

• Hormone Therapy
• Surgery
  • Hysteroscopy with targetted endometrial biopsy, D & C, or endometrial ablation
  • Hysterectomy
• Robotic Surgery Hysterectomy

Fortunately, there is a minimally invasive option for treating gynecologic conditions designed to overcome the limits of traditional open and laparoscopic surgery.

If your doctor recommends surgery to treat heavy vaginal bleeding, you may be a candidate for Robotic Surgery. Using state-of-the-art technology, this procedure requires only a few tiny incisions so you can get back to your life faster. The Robotic Gynecology Surgery enables your doctor to perform surgery for complex conditions with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control. Robotic Surgery Hysterectomy offers women many potential benefits over traditional surgery, including:

• Less pain compared to open or laparoscopic surgery
• Fewer Complications
• Less blood loss
• Shorter hospital stay
• Low risk of wound infection
• Quicker recovery and return to normal activities
• Better quality of life

Common minimally invasive surgical treatment options:

• Hysterectomy
• Myomectomy

Signs & Symptoms

Women with mild cases of pelvic prolapse may have no noticeable symptoms. However, as the uterus falls further out of position, it can place pressure on other pelvic organs—such as the bladder or bowel — causing a variety of symptoms, including:

• Sensation of sitting on a small ball
• Heaviness or pulling in the pelvis
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Pain during intercourse
• Protrusion of tissue from the opening of the vagina
• Repeated bladder infections
• Vaginal bleeding or an unusual or excessive discharge
• Constipation
• Frequent urination or an urgent need to empty your bladder

Symptoms may worsen with prolonged standing or walking due to added pressure placed on the pelvic muscles by gravity.

Cause & Risk Factors

Pelvic prolapse is fairly common and the risk of developing the condition increases with age. It can occur in women who have had one or more vaginal births. Normal aging and lack of estrogen after menopause may also cause pelvic prolapse. Chronic coughing, heavy lifting and obesity increase the pressure on the pelvic floor and may contribute to the condition. Although rare, pelvic prolapse can also be caused by a pelvic tumor. Chronic constipation and the pushing associated with it can worsen pelvic prolapse. Robotic Surgery Sacrocolpopexy offers several potential benefits over traditional open surgery, including:

• Less blood loss
• Minimal need for blood transfusions
• Shorter hospital stay

Potential benefits of Robotic Gynecology Surgery compared to traditional laparoscopy include:

• Less blood loss
• Much shorter operating time
• Small incisions for minimal scarring

Causes of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer may be caused by infection of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), smoking, having many sexual partners, and engaging in early sexual contact.

Signs & Symptoms

The most common signs and symptoms of cervical cancer are:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Increased vaginal discharge
• Bleeding after sexual contact
• Pelvic pain and pain during sexual intercourse

Treatment: Robot-assisted Radical Hysterectomy and Lymph Node Dissection, with/without Bilateral Salpingo-oophorectomy

Women with early stage gynecologic cancer are often treated with hysterectomy - the surgical removal of the uterus. Your doctor may also need to remove your ovaries, fallopian tubes and lymph nodes. The type of hysterectomy you have will depend on your medical history, health and the extent or stage of the cancer.

Traditionally, hysterectomies for cancer have long been performed using open abdominal surgery. This type of surgery requires a long incision from the pubic bone to just above the navel. An open abdominal hysterectomy can be painful, involve heavy medication, risk of infection, significant blood loss, and a long recovery. Unfortunately, recovery time may also overlap with a secondary treatment – usually radiation or chemotherapy.

Instead of using traditional open surgery, many gynecologic oncologists can now treat cancers with minimally invasive techniques - without a large incision or long recovery. Traditional laparoscopic surgery uses small incisions and is effective for many routine procedures. However, the long-handled, manually operated and, rigid instruments used for laparoscopy are not considered effective for more delicate or complex operations.

If your doctor recommends a hysterectomy to treat your cancer, you may be a candidate for robot-assisted gynecologic surgery. Using state of the art technology, a Robot-assisted Radical Hysterectomy requires only a few tiny incisions, so you can get back to your life faster.

Robotic Surgery enables your doctor to perform a hysterectomy for complex conditions with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control. It also offers women many potential benefits over traditional surgery, including:

• Less pain
• Fewer complications
• Less blood loss
• Shorter hospital stay
• Low risk of wound infection
• Quicker recovery and return to normal activities

Signs & Symptoms

• Vaginal bleeding after menopause
• Heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods
• Abnormal blood-tinged vaginal discharge

Treatment: Robot-assisted Total Hysterectomy with Bilateral Salpingo-oophorectomy and Lymph Node Dissection

Women with early stage gynecologic cancer are often treated with hysterectomy - the surgical removal of the uterus. Your doctor may also need to remove your ovaries, fallopian tubes and lymph nodes.

Traditionally, hysterectomies for cancer have long been performed using open abdominal surgery. This type of surgery requires a long incision from the pubic bone to just above the navel. An open abdominal hysterectomy can be painful, involve heavy medication, risk of infection, significant blood loss and a long recovery. Unfortunately, recovery time may also overlap with a secondary treatment – usually radiation or chemotherapy.

Similar to cervical cancer, hysterectomy for endometrial cancer has been traditionally done through open abdominal surgery. Laparoscopic surgery uses small incisions and is effective for many routine procedures. However, the long-handled, manually-operated and, rigid instruments used for laparoscopy are not considered effective for more delicate or complex operations.

If your doctor recommends a hysterectomy, you may be a candidate for robot-assisted gynecologic surgery. This procedure requires only a few incisions, so you can get a better quality of life after surgery.

Robot-assisted gynecologic surgery enables your doctor to perform hysterectomy for complex conditions with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control. Robot-assisted gynecologic surgery offers women many potential benefits over traditional surgery, including:

• Less pain
• Fewer complications
• Less blood loss
• Shorter hospital stay
• Low risk of wound infection
• Quicker recovery and return to normal activities

Treatment Options for Ovarian Cancer

Surgery and chemotherapy are generally used to treat ovarian cancer depending on the stage of the disease. You may be a candidate for robot-assisted gynecologic surgery depending on your doctor's recommendation.