Minimally invasive surgery
Overview
In minimally invasive surgery, doctors use a variety of techniques to operate with less damage to the body than with open surgery. In general, minimally invasive surgery is associated with less pain, a shorter hospital stay and fewer complications.
Laparoscopy — surgery done through one or more small incisions, using small tubes and tiny cameras and surgical instruments — was one of the first types of minimally invasive surgery. Another type of minimally invasive surgery is robotic surgery. It provides a magnified, 3D view of the surgical site and helps the surgeon operate with precision, flexibility and control.
Continual innovations in minimally invasive surgery make it beneficial for people with a wide range of conditions. If you need surgery and think you may be a candidate for this approach, talk with your doctor.
Types of minimally invasive surgery
Surgeons perform many minimally invasive surgeries on specific parts of the body, including:
- Adrenalectomy to remove one or both adrenal glands
- Brain surgery
- Colectomy to remove parts of a diseased colon
- Gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) to relieve pain caused by gallstones
- Heart surgery
- Hiatal hernia repair, sometimes called anti-reflux surgery, to relieve gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Kidney transplant
- Nephrectomy (kidney removal)
- Spine surgery
- Splenectomy to remove the spleen
Minimally invasive surgery can also be used for more general surgeries, including the following:
- Cancer surgery, for example, to destroy a tumor
- Colon and rectal surgery
- Endovascular surgery to treat or repair an aneurysm
- Gastroenterologic surgery, including for gastric bypass
- Gynecologic surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat surgery) head and neck surgery
- Thoracic surgery, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)
- Urologic surgery