Prolapse literally means “to fall out of place”. When pelvic organ prolapse occurs, organs such as the uterus or bladder fall down or slip out of place, often pushing into or through the vagina. Pelvic organ prolapse can be uncomfortable and it can interfere with urination, bowel movements and sexual activity.

Going back just a decade or so, the most common treatment options for serious pelvic organ prolapse cases were relatively limited. Reconstructive surgery was one option, and hysterectomy was another. Today, an increasingly common option is called sacrocolpopexy. This is an open surgery in which soft synthetic mesh is used to permanently hold the vagina in the correct anatomical position. After the surgery, your body creates tissue that grows through and around the mesh, helping to restore your anatomy to its natural position and reinforcing the structures around your vagina to maintain support.

This is where da Vinci technology comes in. Instead of the 15-30 cm incision needed for a “regular”, open-surgery sacrocolpopexy, the da Vinci system uses five very small abdominal incisions and state-of-the-art computer technology to convert my hand movements into precise movement of the da Vinci surgical instruments. The procedure usually takes only one or two hours.

As with other da Vinci procedures, da Vinci sacrocolpopexy can provide several advantages. Compared to open abdominal surgery, there’s typically less bleeding, less pain, minimal scarring, quicker recovery, a shorter hospital stay, and a lower likelihood of complications. After a da Vinci sacrocolpopexy, most women usually return home the next day. Many women resume most normal daily activities within four days and recover in two to three weeks, although heavy lifting, strenuous exercise and sexual intercourse should be avoided for up to six weeks.

Sacrocolpopexy also can be performed as a preventative measure. If you or someone you know has decided to have a hysterectomy, sacrocolpopexy can be done after the hysterectomy to provide long-term support of the vagina.

Here are a few quotes from women who have had da Vinci sacrocolpopexy. These quotes and the stories behind them can be found on www.davincistories.com.

“I had a problem with uterine prolapse and urination. I am 100% better after having da Vinci Surgery. Recovery was very fast. There was no pain or discomfort. I was back to work in three weeks, but I could have gone back sooner. I would definitely recommend this surgery to anyone who needs it. It was a breeze.” – Velma, Norwalk CT

“I would not think twice about having another surgery with the da Vinci surgical method. I cannot tell you how pleased I am with my outcome, and I am only five days post-op.” – Diane, North Haven CT

If you live in Connecticut, Dr. Garofalo is a gynecologist serving the Stamford and Bridgeport metro areas.

In the next few weeks, I’ll be posting a series of blogs about da Vinci surgery and how I use it in my own medical practice. If you have any experiences you’d like to share, please feel free to comment.

First, here’s a bit of history about the da Vinci Surgical System:

Back in the late 1980s, a company working with the U.S. Army developed a system that would allow surgeons to perform battlefield surgery by using remote-controlled medical instruments and cameras. This allowed the surgeons to stay away from the fighting, but it had a few other advantages. The surgery was highly precise and “minimally invasive” (it used very small incisions, usually allowing for quicker recovery and less bleeding than “open” surgery). It’s not exaggerating to say that this company developed a breakthrough in surgical technology.

Some of the people associated with the project realized that the technology could be used with a wide variety of surgeries, and not just on the battlefield. In 1995, a company called Intuitive Surgical was founded to develop the technology for commercial use. Intuitive Surgical launched the da Vinci Surgical System in 1999, and in 2000, da Vinci became the first surgical system of its kind approved by the FDA for general laparoscopic surgery. Since then the da Vinci Surgical System has been used successfully in tens of thousands of procedures.

Next week I’ll write about how da Vinci surgery works. If you need information more quickly, you can click on any of the links below, or you can contact my office directly.

Links to da Vinci surgery resources

daVinciSurgery.com
da Vinci Surgery Patient Stories
Dr. Garofalo’s da Vinci information page

Dr. John Garofalo, M.D., is a certified da Vinci surgeon in Fairfield County, Connecticut. For more information on Dr. Garofalo and his medical practice, go to www.garofaloobyn.com. Dr. Garofalo can be reached for a personal consultation at 203.803.1098.

For anyone interested in learning more about DaVinci surgery for the treatment  of women’s health conditions, I urge you to stop by The Stamford Town Center this Saturday between 1 and 7pm.  I will be demonstrating the DaVinci surgical system along with Urologist, Jonathan E. Bernie, M.D., Chief of Robotic Surgery at Norwalk Hospital.

DaVinci Surgery Demo at Stamford Town Center

The community health education event, “Learn about Advanced Robotic Surgery,” is being offered as a public service by Norwalk Hospital to provide information about the new and expanding field of robotic surgery in the treatment of both prostate cancer and women’s health conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis and pelvic organ prolapse.  I’ll be joined by other Norwalk Hospital doctors and patients who will answer questions.

Before this breakthrough, traditional laparoscopy has never become widely applied outside a limited set of routine procedures.. The robot allows us to view anatomical structures clearly and perform a precise surgical procedure through small incisions.  With the daVinci Surgical System we can perform complex procedures using a minimally invasive approach with confidence.

Many surgical procedures performed today using standard laparoscopic technique may be performed more quickly and easily using the daVinci Surgical System. This is because robotic surgery delivers increased clinical capability while maintaining the same “look and feel” of open surgery.

Robotic surgery enhances surgical capabilities and can improve clinical outcomes.  Research has shown that patients experience less blood loss and need for transfusions, less post-operative pain and discomfort, less risk of infection, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery and return to normal daily activities.

For more information about robotic surgery, please attend the September 26th event at the Stamford Town Center off of Exit 8 on I-95, or call the Norwalk Hospital Community Relations Department at (203) 852-2250.