Medical professionals at Bundang CHA Women’s Hospital, part of CHA University of Medicine and Science, successfully performed a groundbreaking surgery on a female patient. Using a single abdominal incision, they simultaneously treated bilateral ovarian cysts and gallbladder disease, preserving her ovaries and future fertility options.
On Thursday, the hospital announced that a multidisciplinary team—comprising Professor Lee Jung-hoon from the Gynecological Cancer Center, Professor Cho Sung-jun from Surgery, and Professor Seong Min-je from Gastroenterology—employed the single-port Da Vinci robotic surgical system (SP) to treat a 23-year-old patient’s complex condition.
The patient initially sought treatment at Bundang CHA Hospital for upper and lower abdominal pain. Diagnostic tests revealed bilateral ovarian cysts, prompting plans for robotic surgery. However, her upper abdominal pain intensified, leading to emergency room tests that uncovered acute cholecystitis caused by gallstones.
Professor Seong first performed an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove the gallstones and insert a bile duct stent. This procedure indicated the need for a cholecystectomy. The multidisciplinary team then decided to perform simultaneous surgeries to minimize recovery time and optimize treatment outcomes.
In a single operation, the medical team successfully removed cysts from both ovaries and the gallbladder. By utilizing just one incision, they significantly reduced scarring, pain, and recovery time. Post-surgery, the bile drainage stent was safely removed during follow-up care, and the patient is now in stable condition.
Professor Lee emphasized the benefits of this approach: When gynecological and surgical conditions coexist, multiple surgeries can be taxing for the patient. This case demonstrates how a single, multidisciplinary operation can enhance treatment efficacy and recovery. Crucially, by preserving the ovaries, it has maintained the patient’s future reproductive options.
Professor Cho added that this case was particularly challenging as it needed to operate on both the upper abdominal gallbladder and the pelvic ovaries simultaneously. Typically, such distant surgical sites would require multiple incisions or separate operations. For young female patients, preserving ovarian function is paramount, demanding exceptionally precise surgical techniques.
Bundang CHA Hospital, an 800-bed comprehensive medical center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, is the flagship institution of the CHA Hospital Group. It specializes in treating severe and complex diseases, particularly excelling in cancer care, fertility treatments, and management of critical illnesses.
The hospital has pioneered several surgical firsts in South Korea, including the country’s first simultaneous hysterectomy and cholecystectomy using single-port robotic surgery. It continues to lead in complex robotic surgeries, successfully performing procedures for prostate and gallbladder cancers, as well as combined kidney and liver cancer operations, solidifying its position at the forefront of Da Vinci robotic surgery.