Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Conventional Laparoscopic and Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

The proposed study will be a non-blinded randomized control trial. Patients will be randomized into each group Conventional Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (Group #1) and Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (Group #2) using a random number generator. Data collection will occur during the following points of patient interaction: pre-operative appointment, the surgical procedure, the patient's hospitalization, first post-operative appointment, and final post-operative appointment.

The care for the patients enrolled in this study will not deviate from the standard care of patients who are currently undergoing laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. The patients who present to the office for pre-operative history and physical examination for laparoscopic hysterectomy will be counseled about participation in this study. Basic data collection will commence at the pre-operative visiting, including: patient demographics, past medical history, past surgical history, physical exam findings, and imaging results. The pre-operative appointment will occur between one to thirty days prior to surgery. Intra-operative and immediate post-operative data will be collected by the surgical assistant (resident or fellow) and will include surgical procedure (conventional laparoscopic or robot-assisted), operative time, hematocrit, estimated blood loss, length of stay, and complications.

Inclusion criteria

• Undergoing Hysterectomy
• Able to consent to the procedure

Exclusion criteria

• Medical conditions not allowing for pneumoperitoneum
• Medical conditions not allowing proper ventilation during anesthesia
• Pelvic organ prolapse amendable to a vaginal approach
• Pregnant women
• Patients undergoing planned combined procedures including bowel resection (other than coincidental appendectomy) or major urologic procedures.