Betsy's Story

Robotic Hysterectomy Allows For Remarkably Fast Recovery

At 55, Betsy Hicks had raised three grown children and been through menopause, so having a hysterectomy didn't bother her. "I didn't need my uterus and I didn't want it," she said. "I was ready to be done with it."

For more than a dozen years, Betsy's PAP smears had been causing concern for her and her doctor, Timothy L. Chase, MD, FACOG, of Glen Meade Center for Women's Health. "He recommended a conservative approach, trying just about everything else first," she said. "But I was having to see him constantly and nothing was working."

So when Dr. Chase proposed a da Vinci robotic hysterectomy, she didn't hesitate. "I trust him immensely," she said, "so when he said I would be a good candidate for it, I immediately agreed."

Betsy had the surgery in April of 2010, on a Wednesday. "I was out of the hospital on Thursday and I took it easy over the weekend, but felt fine," she recalled. "I was supposed to be out of work the next week, but I felt so good, I went back on Monday."

"I really couldn't tell I had anything done. It was such a simple procedure, with tiny incisions covered by tiny Band-Aids."

Betsy describes herself as "hyper," so she said she felt like she would recuperate better at work than at home because of how well she felt. Her work as the surgical scheduler for Wilmington Plastic Surgery does not require physical exertion, so "being in the office was probably better for me," she said. "At home, I probably would have been working in the yard or doing more physical work; I felt that good."

"I really couldn't tell I had anything done," she continued. "It was such a simple procedure, with tiny incisions covered by tiny Band-Aids." Betsy said she didn't take any pain medication because she didn't need it, and was also able to drive herself to work.

"I'm not afraid to have surgery or be put to sleep at all," said Betsy, "but I was expecting this to be a much bigger deal than it was. It was just so simple. I had no complications and no downtime."

"I would tell anybody considering it to do it," she said. "I'm so glad I did."

Katherine's Story

Glen Meade Center for Women's Health Specialist Performs Another Successful Robotic Hysterectomy

"It was really interfering with my life," said Katherine who, on May 3, 2011, underwent a hysterectomy because of an enlarged uterus and multiple fibroids. "My symptoms included heavy irregular bleeding, cramps and fatigue. I was very ready to do something about it."

Katherine, 45, said her primary care provider ordered an ultrasound, which revealed the causes of her symptoms, and then recommended she see a specialist for treatment. She said it was word of mouth that led her to choose G. Daniel Robison, IV, MD, FACOG, of Glen Meade Center for Women's Health. "I have a friend who had a good experience with a robotic hysterectomy performed by him," she reported. "That gave me confidence."

Dr. Robison recommended having a hysterectomy using the da Vinci robotic surgical system "because of the obvious advantages," she said. "I knew that was the best way to go."

Katherine is a registered nurse in orthopedics, which perhaps gives her an extra measure of comfort and understanding with medical technology. "Dr. Robison explained how precise the system is," she said. "Being able to perform surgery with such enhanced vision and precision is amazing.

"I was up and walking that afternoon, and discharged the next morning."

Like most patients who undergo a da Vinci hysterectomy, Katherine spent only a single night in the hospital, compared to the five-night average for women who have an open abdominal hysterectomy. "I was up and walking that afternoon, and discharged the next morning," she said.

Katherine said the pain she experienced was minimal, especially for major surgery. While prescribed a narcotic pain reliever, she found she didn't need it. "I was certainly not suffering," she said.

Because of the physical nature of her job, it was recommended that Katherine not return to work for four weeks. "If I had a less physical job, I'm sure I would have returned sooner," she said. She was also instructed not to drive for seven to ten days, so she didn't.

"I'm so glad I had the surgery," she said. "I had been dealing with significant symptoms for six to nine months and was tired of it. I'm a beach and pool person, and summer was coming up. I wasn't able to do what I wanted and it was only going to get worse."

"The whole thing was pretty cool," she summarized. "I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others."