A minimally invasive option, with no visible scarring and less recovery time

The General Surgeons at Core Physicians are committed to being at the forefront of cutting edge technology in the area of minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Previously doctors used four incisions when removing a gallbladder, but with the new technique they are able to use a single incision in the patient’s navel. This technique is expected to be the next level of advancement in the field of minimally invasive abdominal surgery. Doctors are excited about the potential for this new technique, which they hope to apply to different types of laparoscopic surgery such as appendectomy, colon removal and hernia repair.

People who suffer from gallbladder conditions are commonly candidates to have their gallbladder removed. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ in the abdomen, that stores and releases bile, which aids in the digestion of fats. When bile crystallizes and becomes solid, it can form a gallstone. This can become painful when the gallbladder attempts to excrete liquid bile through a gallstone-blocked duct. Other procedures included more swelling and discomfort to patient’s, a longer recovery time, and visible scarring.

During the new procedure, a small incision is made in the patient’s navel. Surgeons then insert two to three tube-like devices that guide surgical instruments into the abdominal cavity, including a small camera that allows the surgeons to see the gallbladder area on a monitor in the operating room. The gallbladder is separated from its attachments to the liver and then extracted through the small incision in the naval, or belly button. The small incision is closed with absorbable sutures and covered with a Band-Aid, which can be removed the day after surgery. The new single incision technique is not for all patients, including those who have large amounts of scarring from previous abdominal surgery or for those who have severe infections of the gallbladder.