Laparoscopic Surgery Means Smaller Incisions, Quicker Recoveries

Laparoscopic surgery is also referred to as minimally invasive surgery. This is a surgical procedure performed with the assistance of a video camera and several thin instruments. During the surgical procedure, small incisions of up to half an inch are made and plastic tubes called ports are placed through these incisions. The camera and the instruments are then introduced through the ports which allow access to the inside of the patient.

The camera transmits an image of the organs inside the abdomen onto a television monitor. The video camera becomes a surgeon’s eyes in laparoscopic surgery, since the surgeon uses the image from the video camera positioned inside the patient’s body to perform the procedure.

Laparoscopic surgery first became popular twenty years ago. Performing surgery through tiny incisions is safer and better for you – the patient – than making large incisions. Usually you may go home the same day as your surgery, and can return to work in a week.

Benefits of minimally invasive or laparoscopic procedures are:

• less post operative discomfort since the incisions are much smaller
• quicker recovery times
• shorter hospital stays
• earlier return to full activities
• much smaller scars
• there may be less internal scarring when the procedures are performed in a minimally invasive fashion compared to standard open surgery.

SILS, Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery: The Next Evolution in Laparoscopic Hysterectomies

SILS stands for Single Incision Laparoscopic surgery. In the SILS hysterectomy, only a single small incision in the belly button is created for insertion of the surgical instruments. The entire hysterectomy is performed through this incision. Pain and recovery time are significantly reduced, with even less trauma than conventional laparoscopy.

Dr. Jorge Lense at Cherokee Women’s Health Specialists has been a pioneer in refining the SILS technique for hysterectomies. In March of 2009 Dr. Lense made surgical history, becoming one of only a handful of surgeons in the country to perform a SILS hysterectomy. Dr. Lense currently lectures nationwide on the SILS hysterectomy, teaching the technique to gynecological surgeons at conferences across the country.

“Our patients’ experience with the SILS hysterectomy has been overwhelmingly positive,” Dr. Lense affirms. “The incision is certainly very cosmetic - being hidden in the ‘belly button.’ There is less pain with only one incision to heal, and decreased risk of vascular, bowel and nerve injuries. I think it’s also important to stress that the SILS technique is not just for hysterectomies - but for any laparoscopic surgery.”

Find more information on the SILS hysterectomy: www.sils.com/hysterectomy