Robotic-assisted surgery enables quick recovery from hysterectomy

For about a year and a half, YMCA aquatic director Stephanie Brennan, 49, had been experiencing abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding on and off. She figured it was associated with perimenopause and that there was nothing to worry about.

But it gradually got to a point late last summer where Brennan was bleeding nonstop, so she suspected something else was going on.

“Because of the bleeding, I was iron deficient,” she says. “Despite eating iron-rich foods and taking a supplement, I almost passed out at work one day.”

Brennan needed to make an appointment with a doctor quickly, but having recently moved from Puyallup to Gig Harbor, didn’t have one at the time. She researched gynecologists in her area and found one with great reviews — Orestes Molina, MD — at MultiCare Women’s Health & Wellness Center in Gig Harbor.

“When I met with Dr. Molina, I told him my concerns, and the next step was to get an ultrasound to have a better picture of what was going on,” she says.

Making the right choice for the procedure that’s best for you

When Brennan received a call from Dr. Molina, he explained the results of the ultrasound and her diagnosis: a benign disease of the uterine lining called adenomyosis.

During a regular menstrual cycle, the cells of the uterine lining (endometrium) are shed. Adenomyosis occurs when, instead of the cells shedding, they invade the muscle layer of the endometrium. (This is different from endometriosis, where cells grow outside the uterus.)

When the cells are embedded in the endometrium, they wreak havoc. They respond to hormones and swell up and expand the uterus, as if they are still part of the menstrual cycle.

“The cells don’t belong there, and once they are there, there’s no way to get them out,” Dr. Molina explains.

That’s why Brennan was bleeding heavily and in pain. Dr. Molina talked to her about treatment options, but because her disease was so severe, explained that a complete hysterectomy would rid her of the disease.

“At this stage in my life, it was an easy choice. I’m not having kids anymore, so I said, ‘Let’s do the hysterectomy,’” says Brennan.

For those with mild symptoms who wish to remain fertile, Dr. Molina notes the disease can be managed with anti-inflammatories to control the pain and the hormone progesterone to control the bleeding.

Benefits of robotic-assisted surgery

Using the da Vinci® robotic surgical system, Dr. Molina removed Brennan’s uterus and cervix, which is considered a full hysterectomy. Her ovaries remain intact, which means she still ovulates, but is not yet in menopause.

The da Vinci enables a surgeon to be more precise and use smaller incisions, says Dr. Molina.

“It’s a game changer,” he says.

“They told me I was the inaugural robotic hysterectomy patient. I thought they meant at this location, but it was actually the first surgery of its kind outside of a hospital setting in Western Washington,” says Brennan. “I thought that was pretty neat.”

For the patient, that means they recover more quickly, have less post-operative pain, require less pain medication and may resume regular activities sooner than with traditional surgery.

Brennan experienced the benefits of robotic-assisted surgery almost immediately.

“When I woke up from surgery, I was shocked I felt relatively good. When I had to use the restroom, I was able to get out of bed and walk there,” she says. “I could feel some soreness, but if I’d had a traditional hysterectomy, I don’t think I could have done that.”

Easier-than-expected recovery

Brennan says her recovery was easier than she anticipated.

“I was only on pain medications for four days, and every day I felt a little better. I was able to get around the house pretty well,” she explains. “I’ve only had a few surgeries in my life, but this one had the fastest recovery time by far.”

With a pre-planned vacation over the holidays to visit family in Chicago, she made sure she was cleared by Dr. Molina for travel.

“The airlines were great. I had a wheelchair to the terminal and had help with my luggage, as I wasn’t supposed to lift anything three months post-surgery,” says Brennan. “And they bumped me to first class!”

While in Chicago, she spent time recovering at her parents’ house, visiting with them and her three children.

“I had a post-op follow-up appointment with Dr. Molina the day after I returned to Washington,” Brennan says. “He was pleased with how the incisions were healing.”

‘I haven’t felt this good in a long time’

“Stephanie was an excellent candidate for this surgery,” Dr. Molina says. “Her surgery went really well, and she had a great post-op recovery.”

“I’m extremely happy I chose MultiCare for my medical care. I couldn’t have picked a better location or doctor,” says Brennan. “I was grateful to have such excellent care only five minutes from home.”

Because her uterus had been so enlarged, it pushed her intestines into her chest cavity, which had been causing the abdominal pain. With Brennan’s uterus gone, her periods are also gone, as is the bleeding.

“I haven’t felt this good in a long time,” she says.

From choosing contraception options to managing menopause, our staff is proud to provide an expert level of health care for all your gynecological needs. Learn more about gynecology at MultiCare.