Robotic surgery better for ovarian cancer patients than traditional surgery

“The recovery is much smoother, with minimal blood loss and less risk of infection, and the patient can go home after just two days,” it sounds.

Since 2012, the gynaecology-gynaecological oncology department on the Sint-Jan campus has developed a robot surgery program for various disorders. Since then, AZ Sint-Jan has grown into one of the reference centers for robotic surgery in gynecology and gynecological oncology. The service is the first in the Benelux to introduce robotic surgery for the treatment of both early and advanced cancers. “Ovarian cancer is not very common, but the prognosis is very poor because the disease is often already widespread at the time of diagnosis. Hence the nickname silent killer,” it sounds.

“Robot surgery has significant advantages for the patient compared to open or laparoscopic surgery,” says Dr. Philippe Van Trappen, head of the gynecology department. “By introducing this robotic technique since 2015, we saw that these patients recovered more quickly compared to open surgery, and that they could receive their subsequent chemotherapy treatment earlier. Not only is the recovery much smoother, with minimal blood loss and less risk of infection, the patient can home after two days.”