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Robotic Myomectomy

Could Robotic Surgery Help You Conceive?

By Teri Brown

Medical technology is giving new hope to women who have had difficulty in conceiving. Ernestine Tucker of Rahway, N.J., spent years trying to become pregnant. Doctors frustrated Tucker with their nonchalant attitude. After Tucker finally made her way to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, it was discovered that she had a series of eight to nine uterine fibroids (myomas) that needed to be removed before she could conceive. Dr. Michael Pitter, gynecologist, believed that Tucker was a candidate for a robotic myomectomy – a less invasive surgical procedure that uses the daVinci S robotic surgical system. The surgery only requires small incisions and allows maximum accuracy.

Though she was to undergo a rather new surgery, Tucker had no qualms about the procedure. "I had chosen Dr. Pitter, so I know I was in good hands," she says. "Plus, I trusted Dr. Pitter with the procedure, and before the surgery he had shown me pictures of what he would be doing."

According to Dr. Pitter, Tucker had submucous myomas that were impinging on the inner lining of her uterus. To perform the surgery with traditional laparoscopics could have made it difficult to repair the endometrial lining to the point where it could receive the fertilized embryo. And while open abdominal surgery may have been possible, it would have required a three-day hospital stay and an extended absence from work. The robotic procedure took only a few hours and her total recovery time was eight to 10 days. And best of all, four months later, Tucker discovered she was pregnant.

"I was extremely delighted and happy," Tucker says. "It was a big relief that it finally happened, and the surgery really helped my chances of getting pregnant. I took a pregnancy test and then went to Dr. Pitter, and he confirmed. ... I was pretty shocked, surprised and extremely happy."

Want to see more?

• An Ounce of Infertility Prevention: 15 Simple Ways to Prevent Infertility
• Uterine Factors and Fertility: How Abnormalities of the Uterus Contribute to Infertility
• The Next Step in Conception: When Is It Time to See an Infertility Specialist?
• Join the discussion on our Family.com community!