Minimally Invasive Surgery

The term “minimally invasive surgery” embraces a number of techniques that negate the need for major incisions of the kind that are required in many traditional, “open” surgeries. In minimally invasive surgery, specially designed surgical instruments are employed through ½ inch and smaller incisions or through the body’s own natural openings. Depending on what area of the body is being operated on, a laparoscope, endoscope, thoracoscope or colonoscope with a tiny light and camera at the end is used to visualize the surgical field and perform delicate surgical maneuvers within it. One form of minimally invasive surgery that is rapidly gaining in use and popularity in multiple areas is robotic-assisted surgery, wherein surgeons employ computer-assisted guidance systems and highly maneuverable robotic tools to perform extremely precise movements within the body. Benefits of minimally invasive surgery can include less blood loss, quicker and less painful recovery times, fewer post-operative complications and reduced hospital stays.