Women with large fibroids can now have them removed using robot-assisted surgery.

Fibroids are benign tumours of the uterus which may cause troublesome pain and bleeding. Traditionally, large fibroids might be treated by hysterectomy, but it is also possible to remove the fibroids alone, leaving the uterus intact - an operation called myomectomy.

The University of Michigan is the first health center in the world to use robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery to removed fibroids. This allows larger fibroids to be removed through a tiny incision, using the robot as an 'extension' of the surgeon's hands. The precision and control allowed by the robot mean that surrounding tissue is kept intact and a woman may preserve her fertility - an important consideration for younger women with fibroids. And because the process is minimally invasive, recovery time is shorter.

Source

University of Michigan Health System 3rd December 2002