MY RELATIONSHIP TO DA VINCI SURGERY: Patient

MY CONDITION: Uterine Fibroids

TYPE OF PROCEDURE I HAD: da Vinci Hysterectomy

DATE OF PROCEDURE: Feb 17, 2010

MY SURGEON: Dr. Gregory Eads

HOSPITAL WHERE MY PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED: Memorial Hermann The Woodlands

OTHER TREATMENTS I CONSIDERED BEFORE DA VINCI SURGERY:
abdominal surgery, fibroid radiation therapy,

THE BIGGEST CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT TREATMENT:
I have a high risk of hemorrhaging during during full abdominal surgery

WHY I CHOSE DA VINCI SURGERY:
Less risk of excessive blood loss, better recovery time, less chance of abdominal adhesions.

HOW LONG I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL:
24 hours

MY PAIN AND/OR DISCOMFORT LEVEL:
Yes but I required less pain meds than when I had previous abdominal surgery.

ABOUT MY RECOVERY TIME:
I am still recovering but at a faster pace than I did with full abdominal surgery and if I did not have other unrelated medical conditions I would be completely recovered at this time.

WHEN I RETURNED TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES:
I could drive a car and return to work at a reduced workload.

ABOUT MY SURGEON AND/OR FACILITY STAFF:
My doctor was AMAZING!

HOW DA VINCI SURGERY COMPARED TO MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES OR PRECONCEPTIONS OF SURGERY:
It was amazing. Faster recovery, no large scars or incision to take care of, less risk of infection, no worries of incisional hernia.

I WOULD RECOMMEND DA VINCI SURGERY TO MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS!

I spent seven years going from doctor to doctor seeking medical treatment and relief from constant excessive and heavy menstrual bleeding which was accompanied by hemorrhaging from the colon with the onset of each menstrual cycle. Eventually I was diagnosed with cervical polyps, massive fibroid tumors, endometriosis of the colon and other organs and diverticulitis, after undergoing many surgical procedures and tests.
As I am predisposed to hemorrhaging during surgery, and have experienced problems during two previous surgeries with massive blood loss, I was reluctant to proceed with open abdominal surgery to resolve my medical problems. Yet all the other gynecologists I had seen were using the archaic procedure of full open abdominal surgery to remove the female organs.
Finally, in desperation, I searched the internet for alternative treatment options and discovered the da Vinci website. I found Dr. Gregory Eads on their website, [listed as] performing the robotic surgery in my Houston area. What a blessing this was!
I contacted Dr. Eads at The Women's Center for Well Being and his staff got me an appointment right away. Dr. Eads is kind and caring and listened to my concerns regarding my predisposition to hemorrhaging. He referred me to Dr. Abbassi, an Oncology and Hematology specialist, who prepared a surgical treatment plan to address my bleeding problems during surgery and then he scheduled me for surgery at The Memorial Hermann Hospital in The Woodlands. On February 17, Dr. Eads performed my complete hysterectomy using the da Vinci robotic surgery method, and according to Dr. Eads I only [lost a teaspoon of blood] during the entire procedure, which lasted less than two hours. I was saved by Dr. Eads' skills in using this remarkable surgical procedure, as my ovaries had grown to my colon. In fact, if I had undergone the open abdominal surgery, I could potentially have had a portion of my colon removed with my ovaries as that type of surgery is less precise. In less than 24 hours, I was able to be discharged from the hospital and on my way to recovery.
I would highly recommend the da Vinci surgery to any woman who must undergo a hysterectomy! This surgery is less invasive, allows the patient faster recovery time with reduced risk of excessive blood loss, infections and hernia complications. It was definitely less painful than my previous abdominal surgery, and I am recovering faster. In fact, it took ten weeks for me to recover from my previous surgery, and I am now on my third week and doing great. I could even drive the car after two weeks, something I could not do for eight week after my previous surgery.
Thank you Dr. Gregory Eads and da Vinci!
God Bless You,
Pamela Miles-Hickman