The Pressure is Off: Patient with Pelvic Prolapse Thrives Following Robotic Surgery

Roberta Martin leads a busy, active and vibrant life, balancing her demanding career with a passion for yoga and water aerobics. It was during her time in the water that she started noticing a subtle, but concerning change in her body.

She initially dismissed the mild, persistent pelvic floor pressure as a minor inconvenience, but it slowly worsened, especially with increased physical activity. “I had begun a pretty rigorous exercise regimen and my symptoms worsened, with increased pressure and discomfort,” she recalled. The pressure and discomfort eventually affected her bladder.

Worried and uncertain, she turned to Trinity Health Michigan’s Paul Makela, MD, FACOG, a board-certified gynecologist specializing in urogynecologic robotic surgery. 

“I had seen an online patient education lecture from Dr. Makela through Trinity Health Michigan and he was describing the symptoms I was experiencing,” Roberta said. “I scheduled a consult and exam, and Dr. Makela took all the time needed to answer my questions and give a thorough explanation of my options. His approach, including his experience with the Da Vinci robotic instrument increased my sense of trust in him and in the procedure.”

After being diagnosed with pelvic prolapse, Roberta chose a minimally invasive robotic surgery procedure for treatment. The recent addition of a second Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System at Trinity Health Livonia has increased surgical capacity at the hospital, allowing surgeons to better serve the greater Livonia community, including patients like Roberta. The new unit is one of five recently acquired systems expected to become fully operational within Trinity Health Michigan hospitals in late 2024, early 2025, making robotic surgery more accessible to those requiring surgery in communities throughout west and southeast Michigan.

Roberta’s Robotic Surgery Experience

“The in-hospital experience was exceptional,” Roberta said. “From start to finish, when I woke up from anesthesia, was less than four hours. The post-op care was outstanding. Everything was explained - the surgery, and what I could expect in the hours to come. I was discharged the next day, went home and slept a lot. I experienced minimal pain so stronger pain medications were not needed.”

Roberta’s lack of post operative pain was due to the minimally-invasive nature of her surgery. Using robotic equipment, Dr. Makela used small incisions to complete the surgery instead of one large incision, greatly reducing pain, scarring and recovery time.

"Robotic surgery has been a real gamechanger in terms of our surgical capabilities, offering us unparalleled precision as surgeons and significantly reducing our patients’ post operative discomfort and recovery time," said Dr. Makela. "With the addition of a second robotic surgical platform at Trinity Health Livonia, I’m thrilled to expand our urogynecology surgical program to women like Roberta, who live and work in communities we serve. You won’t find a more dedicated and experienced medical team committed to providing the latest advancements in robotic surgery.”

Since her surgery, Roberta has returned to yoga class and the pool – and couldn’t be happier with her outcome. “It has been wonderful to participate in physical activities again without feeling the discomfort that I had felt the past few months,” she said.

She credits her recovery to Dr. Makela and robotic surgery. “I heartily recommend Dr. Makela as a provider, with his extensive knowledge of the options available to women with pelvic floor issues. The Da Vinci robotic surgical procedure worked fabulously for me. A big part of the success of my surgery, I believe, was the foundation of trust that Dr. Makela created through his respect of my preferences and needs, his explanation of clinical information, and what I could expect after surgery. From my first visit to his office, Dr. Makela and his staff, and later the Trinity Health Livonia clinical team, gave me the confidence I needed for a successful outcome.”

If pelvic pressure, incontinence, urinary frequency or similar symptoms are disrupting your life, Trinity Health’s urogynecology team can help. Learn more and find a provider at Trinity Health Michigan Urogynecology. To learn more about the benefits of robotic surgery or to find a skilled robotic surgeon, visit trinityhealthmichigan.org/roboticsurgery.