Comments on: She’s no Rosie the Robot: ViKY helps surgeon do single-incision hysterectomy by himself http://www.medcitynews.com/2009/06/a-metrohealth-first-single-incision-hysterectomy-with-robots-no-assistants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-metrohealth-first-single-incision-hysterectomy-with-robots-no-assistants MedCity News Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:17:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nora Julian http://www.medcitynews.com/2009/06/a-metrohealth-first-single-incision-hysterectomy-with-robots-no-assistants/comment-page-1/#comment-7650 Nora Julian Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:52:52 +0000 http://www.medcitynews.com/?p=6131#comment-7650 In response to Nora Coffey's comments dated 6/14/09, she should re-read the article more carefully. Although the article does mention the da Vinci Surgical System, the robotic medical device being described is the ViKY. Also, "elective" does not necessariy mean "unwarranted." Many hysterectomies are performed for reasons other than to save a life. For example, women who experience painful, uncontrollable bleeding or recurring fibroids which cannot be managed by medication or ablation may elect to resolve the issue through hysterectomy. While not necessary "life saving," the procedure is considered by many to be "life changing." Lastly, Ms. Coffey describes da Vinci Hysterectomy as "highly invasive destructive surgery." By all standards, it is minimally invasive surgery, in which instruments measuring 8mm diameter are inserted into the abdomen, as opposed to an 8-12 inch incision made during open surgery. It sounds as though Ms. Coffey takes issue with hysterectomy as a procedure in general, not the da Vinci Surgical approach specifically. In response to Nora Coffey’s comments dated 6/14/09, she should re-read the article more carefully. Although the article does mention the da Vinci Surgical System, the robotic medical device being described is the ViKY. Also, “elective” does not necessariy mean “unwarranted.” Many hysterectomies are performed for reasons other than to save a life. For example, women who experience painful, uncontrollable bleeding or recurring fibroids which cannot be managed by medication or ablation may elect to resolve the issue through hysterectomy. While not necessary “life saving,” the procedure is considered by many to be “life changing.” Lastly, Ms. Coffey describes da Vinci Hysterectomy as “highly invasive destructive surgery.” By all standards, it is minimally invasive surgery, in which instruments measuring 8mm diameter are inserted into the abdomen, as opposed to an 8-12 inch incision made during open surgery. It sounds as though Ms. Coffey takes issue with hysterectomy as a procedure in general, not the da Vinci Surgical approach specifically.

]]> By: Nora W. Coffey http://www.medcitynews.com/2009/06/a-metrohealth-first-single-incision-hysterectomy-with-robots-no-assistants/comment-page-1/#comment-6496 Nora W. Coffey Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:21:53 +0000 http://www.medcitynews.com/?p=6131#comment-6496 This article makes it sound like the Da Vinci robotic surgical system to perform hysterectomy is simple and inconsequential. It describes this gynecologist controlled robotic surgery as less invasive, implying that it is safe. If you watch the surgery being performed on the Da Vinci web site (click on the video for physicians, not the sanitized patient version) you will quickly see that this is highly invasive destructive surgery. Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, a reproductive, sexual, hormone responsive organ that supports the bladder and bowel. Whether the surgery is performed abdominally, vaginally, hands-on laparoscopically or laparoscopically by a gynecologist controlled robot, a hormone responsive sex organ is removed, the vagina is shortened, and there is a loss of support to the bladder and bowel. Women who experienced uterine orgasm before the surgery will not experience it after the uterus is removed. When the uterus is removed women have three times greater incidence of cardiovascular disease than women with an intact uterus. When the ovaries are removed the incidence seven times greater. There are 22 million women in the United States whose female organs have been surgically removed. Only about 2% were life saving and 98% were elective, a euphemism for unwarranted. Girls and women are not educated about the functions of female organs and they are not informed about the adverse effects of hysterectomy that have been well documented in medical literature for over a century. Women who might ignore this promotion in a commercial advertisement will be vulnerable to believing there are no adverse effects of the surgery. An article that makes hysterectomy sound simple and inconsequential is dangerous to women. This article makes it sound like the Da Vinci robotic surgical system to perform hysterectomy is simple and inconsequential.

It describes this gynecologist controlled robotic surgery as less invasive, implying that it is safe. If you watch the surgery being performed on the Da Vinci web site (click on the video for physicians, not the sanitized patient version) you will quickly see that this is highly invasive destructive surgery.

Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, a reproductive, sexual, hormone responsive organ that supports the bladder and bowel. Whether the surgery is performed abdominally, vaginally, hands-on laparoscopically or laparoscopically by a gynecologist controlled robot, a hormone responsive sex organ is removed, the vagina is shortened, and there is a loss of support to the bladder and bowel. Women who experienced uterine orgasm before the surgery will not experience it after the uterus is removed.

When the uterus is removed women have three times greater incidence of cardiovascular disease than women with an intact uterus. When the ovaries are removed the incidence seven times greater.

There are 22 million women in the United States whose female organs have been surgically removed. Only about 2% were life saving and 98% were elective, a euphemism for unwarranted. Girls and women are not educated about the functions of female organs and they are not informed about the adverse effects of hysterectomy that have been well documented in medical literature for over a century.
Women who might ignore this promotion in a commercial advertisement will be vulnerable to believing there are no adverse effects of the surgery. An article that makes hysterectomy sound simple and inconsequential is dangerous to women.

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