Robotic hysterectomy: A review of indications, technique, outcome, and complications

Hysterectomy is the second most common surgery performed on women after cesarean section. The advantages of minimally invasive hysterectomy such as reduced hospitalization, quick recovery with more rapid return to normal activities, and less postoperative morbidity are well known. Although most guidelines recommend that minimally invasive hysterectomy should be the standard of care, the gynecologists have been slow in adopting minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques to perform this operation. Since its approval in 2005 for gynecological surgeries, robot-assisted hysterectomy has been found to be feasible and safe both in benign and malignant indications. This significant difference is mainly due to ergonomics, endowrist movements of instruments, and stereoscopic three-dimensional magnified vision. The specific indications for hysterectomy where the robotic technology can benefit women are the ones with adhesions such as severe endometriosis, large uterus with large or multiple fibroids, early carcinoma cervix, and/or endometrial carcinoma. However the main benefit of this procedure was seen in the reduction of open surgery including conversions during laparoscopic hysterectomies. In the long run, we need to critically examine the long-term benefits and appropriate indications for robot-assisted hysterectomy especially in benign conditions, thus reducing the incidence of open surgery in gynecology. This review describes the operative procedure of robotic hysterectomy in eight steps.