In the past few decades, surgical procedures have seen improvements that make them safer for patients and more efficient. Many procedures that were previously performed with open techniques have been standardized by minimally invasive surgery (MIS). These include robotic surgery and endoscopic surgery.
Because advanced instruments enable surgeons to operate without having to open the abdomen or any other parts of their body, minimally invasive surgery requires very small incisions. These procedures are possible thanks to cameras, computers, and instruments that can perform precise movements. Minimally invasive surgery has many advantages.
1. There Are Many Procedures Available
Many procedures can be performed using robotics and minimally invasive techniques, as opposed to traditional open surgery. You can perform minimally invasive surgery on your digestive system, urologic systems, heart, lungs, and kidneys as well as the gynecologic. Robotic assistance can be used for common gynecologic procedures:
- Removal of ovarian cysts
- Ovarian cancer treatment
- Endometriosis treatment
- Hysterectomy
- Oophorectomy
2. You Can Make Smaller Incisions
Minimally invasive surgery requires very few incisions. Traditional open surgery requires more incisions to reach the area being treated. A traditional open hysterectomy, for example, requires a 6- to 12-inch incision.
Robotic and laparoscopic procedures can be performed through smaller openings. Incisions for a da Vinci robotic hysterectomy require incisions less than one inch (roughly the size of a dime). Although multiple small incisions are possible, this is better than an open procedure that requires a lengthy incision. These small incisions are a key part of many of the benefits of minimally invasive procedures.
3. Less Scarring
Scarring is reduced when there are fewer incisions. Scarring is often caused by scarring because of the smaller incisions. Even if there are scars left by incisions, they will be much less visible than long open surgeries. The scars are often invisible and fade within a few weeks.
4. Accuracy And Risk Are Reduced
Special cameras are used to provide surgeons with a clearer view of the organ they’re operating on during minimally invasive procedures. These advanced instruments allow for complex and delicate work to be performed correctly using more sophisticated tools. These surgeries produce better results and are therefore more precise.
Small incisions can also reduce blood loss, which can lead to serious complications during surgery. A minimally invasive surgery heals faster and is less likely to infect than larger incisions.
5. Shorter Hospital Stays
Patients who undergo MIS are less likely to be admitted than patients who had traditional abdominal procedures. Patients can often return home in one night. You will be able to return home in the comfort of your own home and spend less time in the hospital. An open or abdominal procedure may require you to stay for 2 or 3 nights at the hospital.
6. We Need Less Pain
Patients who undergo minimally invasive surgery experience less pain and discomfort than those who had open surgery. Minimally invasive surgery often causes fewer traumas to the body. Open procedures can require large sections to be taken out of tissue and muscles. Large amounts of tissue can be cut with minimally invasive procedures thanks to the cameras and small instruments. Less pain and quicker healing is possible with smaller wounds.
The duration of pain and discomfort after surgery may be shorter due to MIS. This reduces the need for pain medication.
7. A Shorter Recovery Period
The best thing about minimally invasive surgery? It has a shorter recovery time. MIS incisions heal faster than open procedures for all the reasons already mentioned. Patients can resume their daily activities much faster than with traditional surgery. A traditional abdominal hysterectomy typically takes 6-8 weeks to heal, while a minimally invasive one takes between 3-4 weeks and 4 weeks.
Life Line offers comprehensive obstetrical and gynecologic services for patients. Our skilled physicians have extensive experience in performing advanced laparoscopic surgeries, robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci SI HD technology, and minimally invasive Hysterectomies.