Minimally invasive surgery
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a surgical technique that uses smaller incisions, fewer stitches, or no incisions at all to perform a procedure.
How is minimally invasive surgery performed?
Typically, the surgeon will make one or more small incisions, which are called “ports.” The exact size of the ports will vary according to the procedure. Unlike an open surgery, the surgeon typically will not need to make extensive cuts through skin, muscle, tissue, and nerves.
The surgeon then works through the ports, inserting short, narrow tubes called trochars. The next step is to insert surgical instruments, along with tiny video camera equipment, through the ports. The surgeon manipulates the instruments to perform the surgery, while watching video pictures sent back from the camera on a monitor.
Depending on your procedure, there may be other differences in how a minimally invasive surgery is performed. For example, if you are having abdominal surgery, the surgeon will send carbon dioxide gas into your abdomen through a trochar to expand the area and provide room to operate.