Uterine fibroids often stop growing or may even shrink as a woman approaches menopause. Your doctor may suggest "watchful waiting" rather than more aggressive treatment and monitor your condition to ensure there are no significant changes and that the fibroids are not growing.

For women whose fibroids are large or are causing significant symptoms, surgical treatment may be necessary. Treatment for fibroids may include:

• Hysterectomy – the surgical removal of the entire uterus. Fibroids remain the number one reason for hysterectomies in the United States.
• Myomectomy – the surgical removal of the fibroids leaving the uterus intact for a future pregnancy

Robotic-assisted surgery can be an appropriate choice for either of these procedures and offers significant benefits over a traditional open surgery involving a large incision and extended recovery. Inova's state-of-the-art da Vinci® surgical system allows your doctor to perform surgery through a few tiny incisions and provides enhanced vision, dexterity, control and precision.

Benefits of robotic-assisted surgery over open surgery include:

• Less pain
• Fewer complications
• Less blood loss
• Shorter hospital stay
• Low risk of infection
• Quicker recovery and return to normal activities

Talk with your surgeon about whether robotic-assisted surgery is an option for you. Or call 1-855-My-Inova (1-855-694-6682) for a referral to one of our da Vinci robotic surgical specialists.