"I Got My Life Back"
Thanks to a robotic-assisted gynecologic procedure, one patient was able to eliminate bothersome symptoms.
For years, Noelle Carino, an education professional in Toms River, suffered from a variety of gynecologic problems: ovarian cysts and uterine polyps, to name a few. By the time she was in her late 30s, she was experiencing heavy periods for three weeks every month. As an active mom of young twin boys, the problem began to wreak havoc on her life. Her Community Medical Center gynecologist, Robert Pesso, MD, gave her a few treatment options: an endometrial ablation, which destroys the lining of the uterus to reduce or stop bleeding; hormone therapy; or a hysterectomy, in which he would remove the uterus and cervix but leave the ovaries in place. Noelle chose the hysterectomy. “I was ready,” says Noelle, now 41. “I wanted my life back.”
A minimally invasive procedure
Dr. Pesso told Noelle he could perform the hysterectomy in a minimally invasive way—with the assistance of a robot. He performs the majority of hysterectomies in this manner. (Robotic technology can also be used to remove fibroids, endometriosis and ovarian cysts.) Dr. Pesso sits at a console and guides the robotic arms to perform the procedure. The technology enables him to make small incisions and remove the uterus and cervix with the robotic instruments, which move like human hands but with a greater range of motion. The surgical system also allows Dr. Pesso to view the patient’s anatomy in three dimensions. Noelle had the procedure in May 2016—just eight weeks before she got married to her partner of eight years. “I went into surgery with my period and woke up without it,” she says. “And I had no pain afterward.” She spent one night in the hospital and left the next morning. “I worked at home on my laptop the rest of the week,” she recalls. “I took it easy, but I felt great.”
Three years later, Noelle still hasn’t experienced any bleeding. “All of my symptoms went away, including PMS,” she says. “I’m so glad I had the procedure. I got my life back.”
For a referral to a surgeon who performs robotic-assisted surgery at Community Medical Center, please call: 888.724.7123.