Minimally invasive surgery features small or no incisions. Surgeons view internal organs with the help of small scopes and tiny cameras. Surgical repairs may be made with tiny instruments, combining diagnosis and treatment into one procedure. Minimally invasive surgeries require expertise and practice on the part of the surgeon. Dr. Servy, who performs all of SMFI’s minimally invasive procedures, has been doing this type of fertility restoration for decades and has the expertize and skills necessary to perform successful operations.
Common minimally invasive procedures include:
An obvious benefit of minimally invasive surgery is that any scars are much smaller than in traditional surgery. A laparoscopy requires one incision below the belly button, then one to three other incisions along the hairline of your lower belly. These incisions are usually a quarter inch to half an inch in length. Hysteroscopy leaves no scar because the instrument goes through the natural opening in the cervix (neck of the womb) from the vagina into the uterus. In general, all surgery can cause adhesions or scar tissue on the tissue inside your lower belly. Minimally invasive surgery may cause less scarring.
After minimally invasive surgery, patients generally go home within 24 hours. With traditional open surgery, hospital stays may be two to five days. With minimally invasive surgery, patients do most of their recovery at home, with less likelihood of infection or blood clots.
Because your incisions are smaller, minimally invasive surgery is less painful than traditional open surgery. This means less pain medication and quicker recovery times.
Minimally invasive surgery is more risky for patients who are obese or who have had previous open surgery in the upper or lower part of their belly or other medical problems. Not all surgeries can be done with minimally invasive techniques.
