Tests and Procedures

Minimally invasive surgery

Overview Why it's done Risks

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

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