Robotic Surgery
The benefits of robotic surgery in gynecology are essentially the same as of laparoscopic surgery. Nonetheless, recent studies have shown that robotic surgery offers additional technical benefits in demanding and long procedures. A good example of such benefits is seen in gynecologic cancer surgical staging for endometrial, cervical and early-stage ovarian cancers. Robotic surgery allows for gentle handling and precision, while minimizing surgeon fatigue, which is of utmost importance for such procedures.
YES. Robotic surgery is a modern laparoscopic technique. Laparoscopic surgery and, in specific, the one concerning more complex gynecological conditions and technically difficult procedures (large cysts, large fibroids, previous open incision surgery and adhesions, removal of the entire uterus, treatment of severe endometriosis and, last but not least, laparoscopic gynecologic oncology, has been a separate sub-specialty of gynecology (and urology or general surgery respectively) abroad for a long time, spreading across several years depending on the university center. Since 2000 onwards top universities have been including robotic surgery as a requirement. Ideally, such a specialized training, when combined with experience, ensures increased surgical safety and the best possible surgical outcome for a patient.
Laparotomy is still considered a reliable and trustworthy procedure for a trained surgeon to perform whenever deemed clinically necessary.
The first total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, with complete lymph node dissection, was performed in Greece in 2004 by Dr. G. Hilaris and his team.
In 2009, Dr. G. Hilaris and his team performed the first ever robot-assisted surgical staging in Greece, for endometrial cancer in a 39-year-old patient.