Last year's operation

ROBOTIC ENDOMETRIOSIS SURGERY  

During ISCOMS 2023, we showed video fragments of a robotic multidisciplinary surgery for endometriosis. Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years. It has a great impact on the quality of life and can cause chronic pain and fertility problems in these women. Froukje Hoogenboom, colorectal surgeon, and Ellen Klinkert, gynaecologist and head of the Endometriosis Expert Center in the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG), guided us through the surgery and showed deep infiltrating endometriosis and the value of the DaVinci robot during this complex surgery.  

The UMCG is an Endometriosis Expert Center for the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis and a referral center for the northeast of the Netherlands. Yearly 50-70 patients with deep endometriosis undergo radical laparoscopic surgery in a multidisciplinary team consisting of a gynaecologist, a colorectal surgeon, and in some cases a urologist. During these procedures all endometriosis is removed, including the organs involved, for example the uterus, ovaries, rectosigmoid or appendix. The main goal of this surgery is improving the quality of life by removing all endometriosis with as little collateral damage as possible and if desired retaining or improving fertility. These are long and complex surgeries, taking 4-8 hours per procedure. 

Since 2018 half of the procedures are performed with the DaVinci Xi robot. The main advantage of using the DaVinci robot is the surgeon’s ergonomics. The image is enlarged with a 3D view, which is especially useful during suturing. Also, the instruments are articulated, which makes it easier to reach difficult angles. In the UMCG we have 2 robot consoles, making it possible to perform the surgery together and assist and coach each other, which has added value, especially in complex cases.