{"id":24271,"date":"2023-02-09T07:00:02","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T07:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=24271"},"modified":"2025-12-31T21:51:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T21:51:32","slug":"robotic-assisted-surgery-enables-quick-recovery-from-hysterectomy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/robotic-assisted-surgery-enables-quick-recovery-from-hysterectomy\/","title":{"rendered":"Robotic-assisted surgery enables quick recovery from hysterectomy","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cBecause of the bleeding, I was iron deficient,\u201d she says. \u201cDespite eating iron-rich foods and taking a supplement, I almost passed out at work one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brennan needed to make an appointment with a doctor quickly, but having recently moved from Puyallup to Gig Harbor, didn\u2019t have one at the time. She researched gynecologists in her area and found one with great reviews \u2014 Orestes Molina, MD \u2014 at MultiCare Women\u2019s Health & Wellness Center<\/a> in Gig Harbor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen 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,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Making the right choice for the procedure that\u2019s best for you<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.)<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cells don\u2019t belong there, and once they are there, there\u2019s no way to get them out,\u201d Dr. Molina explains.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this stage in my life, it was an easy choice. I\u2019m not having kids anymore, so I said, \u2018Let\u2019s do the hysterectomy,\u2019\u201d says Brennan.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Benefits of robotic-assisted surgery<\/h2>\n

Using the da Vinci\u00ae robotic surgical system, Dr. Molina removed Brennan\u2019s uterus and cervix, which is considered a full hysterectomy. Her ovaries remain intact, which means she still ovulates, but is not yet in menopause.<\/p>\n

The da Vinci enables a surgeon to be more precise and use smaller incisions, says Dr. Molina.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a game changer,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey 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,\u201d says Brennan. \u201cI thought that was pretty neat.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Brennan experienced the benefits of robotic-assisted surgery almost immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen 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,\u201d she says. \u201cI could feel some soreness, but if I\u2019d had a traditional hysterectomy, I don\u2019t think I could have done that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Easier-than-expected recovery<\/h2>\n

Brennan says her recovery was easier than she anticipated.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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,\u201d she explains. \u201cI\u2019ve only had a few surgeries in my life, but this one had the fastest recovery time by far.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThe airlines were great. I had a wheelchair to the terminal and had help with my luggage, as I wasn\u2019t supposed to lift anything three months post-surgery,\u201d says Brennan. \u201cAnd they bumped me to first class!\u201d<\/p>\n

While in Chicago, she spent time recovering at her parents\u2019 house, visiting with them and her three children.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a post-op follow-up appointment with Dr. Molina the day after I returned to Washington,\u201d Brennan says. \u201cHe was pleased with how the incisions were healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018I haven\u2019t felt this good in a long time\u2019<\/h2>\n

\u201cStephanie was an excellent candidate for this surgery,\u201d Dr. Molina says. \u201cHer surgery went really well, and she had a great post-op recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m extremely happy I chose MultiCare for my medical care. I couldn\u2019t have picked a better location or doctor,\u201d says Brennan. \u201cI was grateful to have such excellent care only five minutes from home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because her uterus had been so enlarged, it pushed her intestines into her chest cavity, which had been causing the abdominal pain. With Brennan\u2019s uterus gone, her periods are also gone, as is the bleeding.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t felt this good in a long time,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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 <\/em>gynecology at MultiCare<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":451,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,115],"tags":[169],"class_list":["post-24271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-profiles-stories","category-womens-health","tag-robotic-surgery"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRobotic-assisted surgery enables quick recovery from hysterectomy - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"After Stephanie underwent robotic-assisted hysterectomy to cure a uterine disease that caused heavy pain and bleeding, she was amazed how quickly she recovered.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/robotic-assisted-surgery-enables-quick-recovery-from-hysterectomy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gig Harbor woman recovers quickly from robotic-assisted hysterectomy - 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