Mahaska Health Partnership OB/GYN Performs Robotically-Assisted Hysterectomy
Mahaska Health Partnership
MAHASKA COUNTY – Many conditions can affect a woman’s reproductive system, which includes the fallopian tubes, cervix and ovaries. When conditions cause severe symptoms, Mahaska Health Partnership OB/GYN Specialist Dr. Jeffrey Fowler can offer treatment options including robotically-assisted surgery, if needed.
“One of the most common surgeries I perform with the da Vinci surgical robot is hysterectomy,” Dr. Fowler said. “There are many reasons a woman may decide to remove her uterus and now, with the robot, we’re able to help her using only a few very tiny incisions and have her back to her normal life in a couple of weeks.”
Robotically-assisted hysterectomy involves the insertion of three to five surgical arms through less than one inch incisions. One robotic arm allows a camera to show the surgeon a 3D, high definition view inside the body. The other arms provide a variety of tools including scissors, clamps or cauterizing tools that fuses blood vessels.
“I’ve been a surgeon for 16 years and I am amazed at how far the tools we have to do our job have come,” Dr. Fowler said. “The robot gives me 360 degree movement of these tiny instruments. It’s so rewarding to be able to help people and see them recover with a lot less pain, scarring and lost time.”
During his years of practice, Dr. Fowler said he’s seen a multitude of reasons that cause a woman to want a hysterectomy. “She could be having heavy bleeding, severe pelvic pain, enlarged uterus or difficulty with her menstrual cycle throughout her life.
The most important thing Dr. Fowler stresses with his patients is to make the time to see a doctor. “Like their reproductive systems, women’s lives are usually complex; filled with work, kids and other obligations that cause them to put themselves last. Some of these conditions can be very painful and dangerous if they are left untreated.
“Not everything will result in a surgery and I always provide my patients with many possible treatment options so they can decide what is best. However, if she does require a surgery, now that we have the robotic, I can offer her relief with a much shorter recovery. She can get back to all her responsibilities feeling better than ever a lot faster.”
Jeffrey Fowler, DO, is an OB/GYN specialist with the MHP Medical Group. Dr. Fowler is well-versed in gynecological ailments and treatments. He is an experienced surgeon both in traditional methods as well as robotically-assisted procedures for minimally invasive hysterectomy and operations on the female anatomy. For an appointment with Dr. Fowler, call 641.672.3360.
Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, visit www.mahaskahealth.org.
