AHN West Penn First in Country to Perform Hysterectomy with New Robotic-Assisted Surgery System as Part of Investigative Clinical Trial

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Allegheny Health Network (AHN) West Penn Hospital today announced it is the first U.S. site to participate in a clinical study involving use of the Medtronic Hugo™ robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system in gynecological procedures.

The "Embrace Gynecology" investigational device exemption (IDE) clinical study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Hugo RAS system for use in gynecologic procedures, marking a significant step forward in expanding minimally invasive treatment options for women in the United States.

AHN West Penn Hospital was the site of the national study's very first procedure — a total hysterectomy, or uterus removal — which was successfully completed by gynecological oncology surgeons Sarah Crafton, MD, and Eirwen Miller, MD.

The Embrace study is a prospective multicenter study designed to assess the Hugo RAS system's performance in hysterectomy procedures, including those for malignancies. It will enroll up to 70 patients across up to five U.S. hospitals.

"For women facing a gynecologic diagnosis, our goal is always to provide the most effective treatment with the quickest possible recovery. The opportunity to contribute to this national study with this new robotic technology and system underscores AHN's commitment to innovation and to improving patient outcomes," said Dr. Miller.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that nearly 111,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with gynecological cancer in 2025, while hundreds of thousands more will experience benign conditions such as fibroids or abnormal bleeding.

Surgery is a common treatment for many of these gynecological conditions, and for some cancers, such as uterine (endometrial) cancer, it is usually the first and primary treatment, explained Dr. Miller.

At AHN West Penn, the award-winning gynecologic oncology team performs roughly 1,200 hysterectomies each year, many of which involve different forms of gynecological cancer. Hysterectomies can be performed via several methods — abdominally, vaginally, laparoscopically and, more recently, through the assistance of a surgical robot. Robot-assisted hysterectomies have been approved in the U.S. since 2005, and over the last 15 years have become the predominant method.

Thomas C. Krivak, MD, Vice Chair of Research at AHN Women's institute and the Director of the AHN Division of Gynecology Oncology, said minimally invasive hysterectomy approaches such as robotic surgery offer tremendous benefits for patients, including potentially fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, smaller incisions, and a faster return to daily life.

"We are incredibly proud to be at the forefront of this important research, bringing the latest in robotic-assisted technology to our patients," Dr. Krivak said. "This study will help us gather critical data to further refine and expand these options for gynecological care."

AHN West Penn's Gynecologic Cancer team employs a multidisciplinary approach to care, offering patients facing all types of reproductive cancers various forms of therapies and treatments for the best possible health outcomes. In addition to robotic-assisted, minimally invasive surgery, therapies at AHN could include surgical implants for advanced radiation therapies, immunotherapy, fertility-sparing cancer treatment and access to leading clinical trials taking place across the country. 

In 2025, for the fourth consecutive year, AHN West Penn was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a top 50 hospital for obstetrics and gynecology; the ranking evaluates the best facilities nationwide that provide a high volume of complex care related to pelvic, cervical, uterine and ovarian cancers, diseases and procedures.

The Embrace clinical trial is the third U.S. IDE study from Medtronic for this specific technology, which is an investigational device in the U.S. not available for sale. Previous studies both met their primary safety and effectiveness endpoints.

For more information or to make an appointment with the AHN Women's Institute, visit ahn.org or call 412-DOCTORS.

About Allegheny Health Network:  
Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org), is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, multiple employed physician organizations, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 23,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

SOURCE Allegheny Health Network