TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The obstetrics and gynecology team at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital used a single-port robotic arm to remove a 4 kilogram uterus with tumors from a 44-year-old woman.
Lee Wei-hao (李偉浩), a gynecologist at the hospital, said uterine tumors typically occur in women over 35. As the condition progresses, it can cause heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, increased menstrual pain, and lower abdominal discomfort, per CNA. He added that these growths usually shrink after menopause.
Lee said the woman was diagnosed at another hospital with multiple uterine tumors, including one measuring up to 12 centimeters in diameter. The hospital recommended open surgery to remove the tumors, but the woman declined due to concerns about a painful recovery from the large incision.
When the woman later sought treatment at the hospital, one of her uterine tumors had grown to 28 cm wide. Lee noted that for tumors over 8 cm, traditional open surgery typically requires a long incision from the belly button to the pubic area, which can be difficult to heal and may leave a visible scar.
He added the tumors were so large that they were pressing against other organs in the pelvic cavity. Therefore, open surgery could have resulted in significant blood loss.
Using a single-port robotic arm to remove the woman’s tumors resulted in a 2 cm abdominal incision. The surgery involved about 200 milliliters of blood loss, and she was discharged the following day. Since the woman no longer plans to have children, her uterus was also removed to reduce the risk of tumor recurrence.
For larger tumors, doctors typically perform open surgery to ensure better visibility and flexibility during the procedure. However, open surgery involves a larger incision, comes with a higher risk of internal scar tissue forming after the operation, and requires a longer recovery period.
Lee said robot-assisted surgery enables doctors to precisely remove tumors using a 3D endoscope and robotic instruments even in limited spaces. The procedure can be performed through a single 2 cm incision at the belly button.
