Robotic hysterectomy surgery video

Recovering from robotic hysterectomy surgery was a mild inconvenience for Dawn Stiefel.

"The pain was minimal, I healed fast," said Stiefel.

Compare this experience to years earlier when the Shellsburg, Iowa woman had a more invasive surgery to remove uterine fibroids.

"Fibroids become more common as women age, they can occur at almost any age," said Dr. Jerry Rozeboom, OB-GYN Associates in Cedar Rapids.

If the fibroids interfere with a woman's quality of life or fertility -- surgery is an option. Recovery after traditional surgery like Stiefel had initially -- can take weeks. But da Vinci robotic surgery shortens recovery.

"It's a far more rapid recovery than the conventional surgery and much less pain. Most patients go home on just ibuprofen and Yylenol and very few narcotic pills, but most of the time very little discomfort and rapid return to normal activities," said Dr. Rozeboom.

"da Vinci hands down, it was an awesome experience. It was easy," said Stiefel.