CVAHCS now offers robotic gynecological surgery
COLUMBIA, South Carolina – The Columbia VA Health Care System has recruited a talented gynecological robotic surgeon to offer women Veterans more options for their care. With robotic surgeries Veterans will experience less pain during recovery, shorter recovery period, and a lower risk of infection.
Dr. Ana Rodriguez joined CVAHCS in October 2023 as a gynecologist/minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon. She performed her first robotic-assisted surgery in 2011. “To me every surgery is interesting and unique,” she said. “My clinical interests involve the study of both the medical and epidemiological aspects of gynecologic cancer prevention and control, particularly HPV-related diseases and cancer.”
She was a tenured professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston where she was training the new generation of gynecologists in robotic surgery. She was recruited to come to CVAHCS to establish the women's robotic program. Since coming to CVAHCS, she has performed approximately 100 robotic surgeries. “I think robotic surgery is the future and I think it's a wonderful thing that the VA has that technology available for women.”
“There are more than 16,000 women enrolled at the VA who now have a GYN robotics surgeon available to them to handle complex GYN surgeries,” said Rose Hutson, the Women Veteran Program Manager at CVAHCS. “Providing this service will allow more women Veterans to receive their care at the VA instead of in the community.”
The surgeons who use the robot must complete a formalized credentialing plan, which includes simulation training, hands-on cadaver lab training and case proctoring. Additionally, the surgeon must perform several cases over a two-year period to maintain their credentials. Rodriguez was one of the first female robotic surgeons trained, and still performs non-robotic surgeries.
“I have found patients here have very significant pathology,” she said. “Some of the pathology cases that I have been encountering are more advanced that what I used to see.”
She has several young females with fibroid tumors, some to the point that they are no longer candidates for the minimally invasive surgery. “I think that's part of the role of us physicians, educating women when they have fibroids, about taking care of that condition before the fibroid grows to the point that they are not going to be able to have the robotic surgery,” she added.
The Columbia VA Health Care System has taken a big step towards caring of women Veterans. The addition of a very qualified robotic gynecological surgeon will greatly improve that care. The emphasis now will be to educate those Veterans on the options available.
For more information about what’s going on at the Veterans medical center, clinic locations and other services available to Veterans in and around Columbia, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.