He said he encourages gynecologists and surgeons who wish to learn more about robot-assisted gynecologic surgery to attend conferences and workshops, such as the World Robotic Gynecology Conference, which provides opportunities to engage in both hands-on training and classroom teaching. Other alternatives are working with a surgical mentor or completing a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery that incorporates the surgical management of endometriosis.
"In the right hands and within the right infrastructure, robotics has the potential to provide women better options and access to cutting-edge care, especially in the area of endometriosis surgery. But as a new surgical frontier, don’t be lulled into thinking robotics per se will make you a better surgeon without the proper training and skill set," cautioned Dr. Advincula.
He said he is a consultant for Cooper Surgical, Ethicon Women’s Health and Urology, and Intuitive Surgical, and that he has received royalties from Cooper Surgical.