Live Surgery from VCU Medical Center Broadcast to the 2nd Annual World Robotic Gynecology Congress in Florida

By Malorie Burkett and Sathya Achia Abraham

Using a minimally invasive, state-of-the art technology known as the da Vinci robot, Catherine Matthews, M.D., a urogynecologist at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, performed a surgical procedure designed to correct pelvic organ prolapse that was transmitted live from an operating room at the VCU Medical Center to a large audience of gynecologists gathered at the 2^nd Annual World Robotic Gynecology Congress in Florida earlier this month.

The live surgery from VCU was one of only four live surgeries featured during the three-day conference geared toward non-robotic, training and practicing robotic surgeons, allied health personnel and health care executives and administration.

This year the program’s focus was on advancing techniques and principles applicable to all facets of gynecologic surgery through lectures, surgical video presentation and scientific sessions.

Pelvic organ or uterine prolapse occurs when the connective tissues or muscles within the body cavity are weak and unable to hold the pelvic and vaginal tissues in their natural orientation. More than 120,000 cases of uterine and vaginal vault prolapse are surgically treated each year in the United States.

Prolapse of any pelvic floor organ - vagina, uterus, bladder or rectum, occurs when the connective tissues or muscles weaken with age, child birth, weight gain or strenuous physical labor.

"Live surgery is the best way to teach other physicians exactly how to do an operation because they see each and every unedited step in accomplishing the task at hand,” said Matthews, associate professor in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery in the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “It is the closest thing to being right there with me in the operating room."

The procedure is conducted laparoscopically using the da Vinci technology, with four very small abdominal incisions made into the patient. Matthews said that one of the major benefits during the operation is the magnification that the robot provides. When dissecting a dangerous place, the 3-D magnification allows the physician to see much better.

Traditionally, the gold-standard operation for uterine prolapse has been an open surgery known as sacrocolpopexy, where mesh is used to suspend the vagina in the correct anatomical position. A horizontal incision between 15 centimeters and 30 centimeters is made in the lower abdomen in order to manually access the inter-abdominal organs, including the uterus. In the past, the abdominal operation prolonged the hospital stay and the recovery time and increased the pain level for patients.

Post-operative benefits of the da Vinci-assisted sacrocolpopexy include a significantly shorter hospital stay, less pain and minimal pain medications. Patients also have the ability to return to regular activities, including work, within about two weeks as opposed to six to eight weeks after a standard abdominal incision.

The 2^nd Annual World Robotic Gynecology Congress in Florida led into the 3^rd International Gynecologic Oncology Robotic Symposium held April 13-14.