Minimally Invasive Surgery Information

Unless it is an emergency, planning for surgery is a serious decision. Many of today’s advanced surgical procedures have eliminated the need for many traditional, open surgeries. The alternative procedure is a minimally invasive surgery, also referred to as laparoscopic surgery, and enables a patient to heal and recover sooner than with traditional surgery.

While not every surgery and not every patient will be a good candidate for minimally invasive surgery, it is an option that you want to discuss with your surgeon. Your Victorville General Surgeon will evaluate all of your test results, analyze your medical history, and assess your current health situation to determine if you are a good candidate for minimally invasive surgery.

Before your surgery is performed, your surgeon will tell you how your operation will be done, if there are any potential risks, and what you can expect during your recovery. When you understand the entire surgical and recovery processes, you will be better prepared for your scheduled medical experience.

Advantages Of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery offers the following advantages.

The surgeon does not need to make one large incision. The operation is done through a few small incisions. For some procedures, there is no need for any incisions.
Specialized, slender surgical instruments, one of which has an attached camera, are inserted into the small incisions. The camera shows a detailed, magnified view of the operative site, and the surgeon uses the other tools to precisely perform the procedure. This results in a shorter amount of time required for the surgery.
Less trauma to surrounding tissue, organs, and muscles.
Smaller incisions result in less visible scarring.
Surgery that is performed with small or no incisions can result in reduced risk for infections, less post-operative pain, and a shorter recovery time.
Depending on the type of operation, patients are often able to go home several hours after the surgery. And, the amount of time a patient needs to remain in the hospital is reduced.

Well Established Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures

While not all operations can be performed in a minimally invasive manner, the number and types of operations that can be performed this way is continuously increasing. The following is not a full list, but it is a list of the current, well-established operations that can be performed utilizing minimally invasive techniques.