Talk with a member of your healthcare team about what to expect during and after a robotic hysterectomy. Ask about the ways it might affect your body and emotions.
During the procedure
You lie on your back, like you do for a Pap test. You might have a tube, called a urinary catheter, put into your urethra to empty your bladder. A member of your surgical team cleans the surgical area with a sterile solution before surgery.
You're given medicines, called anesthetics, that make you comfortable during surgery. You'll have five small cuts, called incisions, made in your lower belly. Slender surgical tools are placed through these cuts.
During the surgery:
- Your surgeon sits at a nearby robotic computer console and controls the surgical tools that remove your uterus.
- Your surgeon also might remove your cervix, one or both ovaries, or your fallopian tubes. It depends on the health condition for which the hysterectomy is being done.
- An assistant at the operating table places the robotic instruments in various positions as needed. The assistant also adds or removes surgical devices and provides other support to your surgeon.
- Members of the anesthesia team track your condition and comfort the whole time.
After the procedure
People recover at different rates. But most often, people who have a robotic hysterectomy are able to leave the hospital the same day as surgery. Some people need to stay in the hospital overnight.
You may take medicine for pain. And your healthcare team likely will encourage you to get up and move as soon as you're able. You also may be given medicine to prevent blood clots.
You can expect some bloody discharge from the vagina for a few weeks after your robotic hysterectomy.
How your body might feel
Recovery after robotic hysterectomy is shorter and less painful than that after an abdominal hysterectomy. A full recovery might take 3 to 4 weeks.
Even if you feel better, don't lift anything heavy for 6 weeks after surgery. In general, that means any object over 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms). Don't have vaginal sex until six weeks after surgery. Also, don't place anything in your vagina during this time, including tampons. You can use sanitary pads while you recover.
Call your healthcare professional right away if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Pain that becomes worse.
- Fever.
- Upset stomach or vomiting.
- Bleeding that's heavier than a menstrual period.
What emotions might come up
After a hysterectomy, you might feel relief because you no longer have heavy bleeding or pelvic pain.
For many people, there's no change in how they respond to sex after hysterectomy. Some who have their ovaries removed may have vaginal dryness and less interest in sex. But some have better sex after hysterectomy. That may be because they no longer have pain during sex.
Not being able to become pregnant might bring on a sense of loss and grief. Or you might become depressed, especially if you're young and hoped for a future pregnancy. If grief, stress or sadness affect your everyday life, talk with your healthcare professional. Treatment can help.