Minimally invasive surgery is a surgical procedure performed through tiny incisions into an injured part of the body. This type of surgery is turning out to be more common in major health facilities every day. Many patients prefer this type of surgery to the open surgery because it ensures quicker recovery and is less complicated.

During this surgery procedure, the surgeon makes several small cuts in the skin only a few millimeters wide. The procedure employs the use of a long, thin tube called an endoscope with a mini camera attached at the end. The endoscope is inserted through one of the incisions made. Tubes which are attached to small instruments are passed through another incision. The endoscope is connected to a monitor in the operating room which assists the surgeon get a clear view of the surgical area. The surgeon then manipulates various buttons and dials on the long tube handles in order to diagnose, remove or repair the problem in the affected part.

In some cases minimally invasive surgery can take longer than an open surgery but still its pros usually overshadow the cons. One of the major advantages of minimally invasive surgery is that it doesn’t affect tissues surrounding the affected part as much as conventional does which minimizes the chances of a patient getting a post operation infection. There is very minimal loss of blood, pain, scarring and the rate of recovery is much quicker in this type of surgery.

However, the decision to have a minimally invasive surgery depends on your doctor’s opinion. There are times when the doctor might advice you to have an open surgery instead mostly because of the size and sensitivity of the area to be operated on. Most surgeons will first analyze the area to be operated on before determining which type of surgery will be the most effective. However if the affected area is not too large then you can settle for minimally invasive surgery.