News

Jun 06, 2023

Robotic

By: Jocelyn Craig, M.D., medical director, The Pelvic Health Center at

By: Jocelyn Craig, M.D., medical director, The Pelvic Health Center at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center

If you’ve been advised to undergo a hysterectomy, or have your ovaries and fallopian tubes removed, you may be feeling anxious and have lots of questions. Undergoing a procedure to remove your uterus, ovaries and tube is major surgery. If you are not already in menopause this kind of surgery may send you into menopause. The good news is that a hysterectomy can alleviate painful symptoms and bothersome bleeding. At MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center we offer minimally invasive hysterectomy with the robotic-assisted da Vinci® Xi™ Surgical System for greater precision, less pain, minimal scarring and a quicker recovery.

Th da Vinci Xi Surgical System for a hysterectomy is helping women get back to their normal activities faster than traditional, open abdominal surgery. The system has been used to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy and has been optimized for other surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, and colorectal surgery.

The da Vinci Xi Surgical System acts as an extension of the surgeon's hands. Made up of several components, the device includes a large bedside cart with interactive robotic arms, a high-definition, three-dimensional viewing system, a computer console with specialized hand controls, and miniature surgical instruments. A hysterectomy procedure using the system is performed through small incisions instead of one large opening. The surgeon operates while seated at a computer console a few feet from the patient.

The console contains hand controls that the surgeon manipulates to direct the machine's robotic arms, wrists and micro instruments. Throughout the procedure, the da Vinci's advanced video system transmits highly detailed, 3-D digital images of the interior surgical area, which greatly enhances the surgeon's ability to view the complex structures, tissues and organs inside the body.

Surgeons associated with The Pelvic Health Center at Long Beach Medical Center are trained on the da Vinci, giving patients minimally invasive and non-surgical treatment options. The program is a comprehensive blend of community and hospital-based programs for various pelvic floor conditions.

Through a network of providers, The Pelvic Health Center offers innovative and successful treatments for pelvic floor disorders. Surgical procedures are performed by skilled pelvic surgeons, including fellowship-trained urogynecologists and pelvic floor disorder-experienced urologists, colorectal specialists, and gynecologists. The team of medical professionals at Long Beach Medical Center focuses on various conditions that affect a woman's abdominal and pelvic regions to provide relief and improve your overall quality of life. For any surgical procedure, decisions about the most appropriate treatment are based on an individual's specific diagnosis, medical history and surgeon's recommendations.

Long Beach Medical Center offers advanced technologies and expert care on par with the most elite hospitals in Southern California. MemorialCare is continually re-investing in its entities to meet the growing health care needs of its community on a regional scale and is committed to acquiring the latest technology and partner with the best doctors, to offer the latest treatment options for the community.

Today, women have more modern and advanced alternatives than ever before when it comes to addressing their health needs. Women are experiencing great success with having a hysterectomy when surgery is required and new minimally invasive techniques like the da Vinci are proving to be beneficial.

Want to learn more? Visit MemorialCare.org/PelvicHealth or call 562-933-8512.

MemorialCare is a nonprofit health system that includes four hospitals, two medical groups, imaging centers, surgical centers and much more.