CHRISTUS Southeast Texas - LiveWell

Aging, childbirth, a history of heavy lifting, obesity and gynecologic surgery can weaken muscles that support the pelvic organs, causing them to descend into the vagina — a serious gynecologic condition called pelvic organ prolapse. Approximately half of American women between ages 50 and 79 have the condition, according to the American Urogynecologic Society. Pelvic organ prolapse restricts activity and causes symptoms such as pelvic heaviness, vaginal bulging, constipation and a frequent urge to urinate. HELP AND HOPE ARE HERE Previously, open and laparoscopic approaches were the only surgical options for pelvic organ prolapse. In 2013, CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Elizabeth acquired the da Vinci ® Si Surgical System, which a local community member dubbed "Surgio." Stephanie Cunningham, DO, FACOOG, OB/GYN at CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Elizabeth & St. Mary, uses Surgio to perform an enhanced version of laparoscopic pelvic organ prolapse surgery, or sacrocolpopexy. "Any woman healthy enough to have surgery, even an elderly or larger patient, is a candidate for the da Vinci approach," Dr. Cunningham says. "Many patients who have prolapse still have a uterus, so I often perform hysterectomy [removal of the uterus] and sacrocolpopexy during the same procedure." Dr. Cunningham controls Surgio's four arms from a nearby console, removing the uterus and positioning mesh inside the pelvis to support the organs — all through four small incisions. "When compared to traditional laparoscopy, da Vinci makes the surgery more precise, decreases pain and bleeding, and typically reduces recovery time from six weeks to four weeks," Dr. Cunningham says. "This is a fantastic treatment option that can help women reclaim their normal lives." To hear a da Vinci hysterectomy patient discuss her experience at CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Elizabeth, visit www.christushospital.org/gynsurgery. Stephanie Cunningham, DO, FACOOG, OB/GYN at CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Elizabeth & St. Mary, has performed surgeries at CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Mary for 15 years and values the quality of the staff and the excellent care they provide. She continues to offer all the procedures in her repertoire there, except those using the da Vinci ® Si Surgical System. EXPERTISE CLOSE TO HOME Why travel to Houston when the only physician in Southeast Texas performing pelvic organ prolapse surgery (sacrocolpopexy) using the da Vinci ® Si Surgical System is right here? "I have always been drawn to minimally invasive procedures," says Stephanie Cunningham, DO, FACOOG, OB/GYN at CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Elizabeth & St. Mary, who performs da Vinci pelvic organ prolapse surgery, which often includes both hysterectomy and sacrocolpopexy. "After performing laparoscopic hysterectomies my entire career, I was interested in any approach or technology that could improve the surgery. My patients are busy women who don't have time for lengthy recoveries. Da Vinci has made a very good surgery great." 'Grazie, Surgio!' Women with pelvic organ prolapse have a new, minimally invasive treatment option, thanks to a skilled surgeon and a robot nicknamed "Surgio." 3 LiveWell | June/July 2014

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