Robotics Provide Breakthrough in Gynecologic Cancer Surgery

According to the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, approximately 80,000 women are diagnosed with gynecologic cancers every year. This family of diseases, which affects the female reproductive tract, includes uterine, ovarian, fallopian tube, cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers; primary peritoneal cancer; and gestational trophoblastic disease. Normally these diseases affect women over 50, but they’ve been known to occur at anytime in a woman’s life.

Early detection and proper treatment enhance a woman’s chances of survival exponentially, yet many cases are discovered in later stages due to lack of knowledge about risk factors and symptoms and inefficient specialized care.

Women who seek the counsel and care of a gynecologic oncologist are shown to have better outcomes and longer survival rates. Unfortunately the field is limited; there are only approximately 1,000 board-certified gynecologic oncologists currently practicing in the United States.

For the past five years, Watson Clinic has been proud to offer our patients the unparalleled skills of one of the area’s only board-certified gynecologic oncology specialists. Richard J. Cardosi, MD, is a renowned surgeon with specialty training in gynecologic malignancies and complex benign gynecologic conditions.

In 2005, Dr. Cardosi introduced a new technology to his practice, becoming the first physician in Polk County to successfully perform a hysterectomy using state of- the-art robotic technology called the da Vinci Surgical System.

Since that time, he has performed countless procedures using the da Vinci system.

“It allows us to perform what were once highly invasive and complex procedures in a more minimally invasive manner,” Dr. Cardosi says.

With the da Vinci system, patients enjoy smaller incisions, a lot less discomfort and scarring, and a swifter return to normal activity, regardless of whether the procedure is performed to treat benign disease or cancer.

During the procedure, a robot with mechanical arms is positioned by the patient’s bedside. Surgical tools are attached to the arms and inserted through very small incisions. The surgeon remains in complete control of the procedure every step of the way. Dr. Cardosi directs the robotic arms with specialized hand controls while sitting at a console from which he views the operating field in 3-D with 10x magnification.

“The precision of the robotic controls is unequaled and guided at all times by the surgeon,” Dr. Cardosi says. “The results of these procedures have been exceptional across the board, and the patient response has been very enthusiastic.”

In addition to the work Richard J. Cardosi, MD, does with robotics, Watson Clinic urologists David L. Bowers, MD, and James A. Wilson, MD, use robotic technology to perform prostatectomies for patients with prostate cancer, as well as bladder removal procedures. Obstetrician/gynecologist Tarek G. Garas, MD, also uses the system to perform hysterectomies.