How is Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery different from Standard Laparoscopic Surgery or Robotic Surgery?
Advanced laparoscopic surgery, or ALS, uses retroperitonal dissection, or RPD, to fully identify the anatomy of pelvis. This allows the surgeon to decrease bleeding and complications, with results that are unmatched by standard laparoscopic approaches or by robotics. In addition, ALS uses proven techniques in gynecologic surgery in combination with the latest advances in laparoscopy to create a surgery that provides patients with the fastest recovery possible by decreasing the number and size of the incisions, decreasing the time of the surgery, and decreasing bleeding and complications. The result is a highly efficient surgery that is unmatched by standard laparoscopic procedures or robotics.
Under the direction of a surgeon who has received extensive training in ALS, standard laparoscopy, robotics, and open procedures can be avoided completely. ALS can be effective for women with complex conditions or who have been denied access to minimally invasive solutions in the past.
Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery can be used for:
• Very large fibroids or masses
• Extremely overweight patients
• Patients with multiple prior surgeries, including C-sections or prior gynecologic treatments
• Patients who have possible malignancies
ALS is a very powerful approach that can treat women with almost any gynecologic condition. In the past, many women have chosen to put up with……to avoid open surgical procedures. With ALS, there is no need to miss weeks or months of work with increased pain and complications, loss of income, and the need to find childcare. The physicians at the Womens Surgery Center understand that ALS procedures provide the best possible care for their patients. WSC is the leader in ALS procedures, and has developed innovative new techniques such as the 2 port procedures to decrease pain and enhance recovery. As the worldwide leader in application of ALS and 2 port procedures, WSC can provide you with information that you need to make an informed decision regarding your surgical needs, and will provide you with data and information needed to understand the limitations of standard and robotic laparoscopy.
Laparoscopic 2 Port ALS compared to Standard Laparoscopic Hysterectomy and Robotic Hysterectomy
| ALS 2 Port - WSC | Laparoscopic Standard | Robotic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discharge Home | 90% | 50% or less |
50% or less |
| Recovery Time | 5 to 7 days |
14 to 21 days |
14 to 21 days |
| Incision size – small to moderate size uterus | 2 - ¼ inch | 4 - ¼ to ¾ inch | 5 - ¼ to ¾ inch |
| Incision size – large uterus | 2 - ¼ inch | 4 to 5 incisions, range from ¼ to ¾ inch or conversion to open with standard open incision. Success of procedure dependent on surgeon skill level. | |
| Incision size - massive | 2 to 3 ¼ inch | Conversion to open with standard open incision | |
| Pain Tolerance | Excellent to good, with mild to mod pain first 2 days. |
Good to fair, with pain dependent on incision size. Larger incisions = more pain | |
| Fibroid Size | Unlimited | Limited – success rates decrease dramatically with increasing uterine size | |
| Blood Control | Very good to excellent – all sizes | Very good to poor with increasing blood loss with increasing uterine size | |
| Complications | Extremely low to include bladder, ureter, blood loss | Increasing complications with increasing uterine size and limited surgeon skill. Ureteral and bladder injury can be significant, blood loss increasing with increasing uterine size and limited surgeon skill. | |
| Procedure Time | 30 minutes to 60 minutes | 1 to 4 hours, depending on uterine size and surgeon skill level |