Big surgery through a small incision? Let's talk about Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)!

When we think of surgery, most of us think of scary things like a big incision, a few days in the hospital, and prolonged pain, right? But now, medical science has advanced a lot. Today, we are going to talk about a very amazing surgical procedure that is performed without those big incisions, but only through a very small hole. This is what we call Minimally Invasive Surgery, or MIS as it is commonly called among doctors.

Simply put, what is Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)?

It's a very simple concept. Imagine if you were having surgery normally, the doctor would have to make a large incision, perhaps several inches long, to get to the area where the surgery is being performed. But with MIS, surgeons make as few cuts in your skin and tissue as possible. That means instead of making one large incision, they make one or more keyhole-sized incisions .

Through these small holes, a thin tube with a camera attached (we call this an endoscope) and specially designed long, thin surgical instruments are inserted into the body. Because the images from the camera are displayed on a large screen (monitor), the doctor can see inside the body very clearly and perform the surgery very precisely. This greatly reduces your pain, complications, and recovery time.

What are the main methods of performing these surgeries?

There are several different methods within MIS technology. These methods are selected based on the type of surgery and body part being treated.

1. Keyhole Surgery

This is the most popular method. As mentioned above, the surgery is performed by making several small incisions, inserting a camera (an `endoscope`) through one, and surgical instruments through the others.

• In abdominal surgeries, this camera is called a laparoscope . We call those surgeries laparoscopic surgery .
• A thoracoscope is a camera used in surgeries involving the chest cavity.
• An arthroscope is used to look inside joints like the knee and shoulder.

2. Robotic Surgery

This is another advanced stage of MIS technology. Here, instead of directly controlling the equipment manually, the surgeon sits at a computer console and controls robotic arms . These robotic arms are inserted through small incisions. This method allows for very delicate, small-scale surgeries with high precision. The famous `Da Vinci Surgical System` is one such robotic system.

3. Endovascular Surgery

This is a very strange method. What is done here is to make a very small hole with a needle, and insert a thin tube (catheter) through it into a blood vessel. Then, the necessary instruments are passed through that tube, and surgeries such as placing a stent in the heart, such as ``stenting'', and ``angioplasty'' are performed. Sometimes, an incision is not even needed here.

4. Natural Orifice Surgery

In this method, no incisions are made anywhere in your body. Instead, an endoscope is inserted through natural openings in the body, such as the mouth and nose, and surgeries such as removing tumors in the stomach and esophagus are performed.

What are the most common surgeries performed using the MIS method?

Today, an incredible number of surgeries are being performed using this MIS method. The table below will give you a good idea of ​​it.

Who is this surgery best for? Can everyone have it?

In many cases, this MIS method is safer than traditional open surgery. In fact, sometimes even people who cannot tolerate a large incision or have other medical conditions can undergo surgery using this method.

For example:

• This method may not be used in cases where surgery is needed urgently, such as someone who has been admitted to the ETU (Emergency Treatment Unit) after an accident, because it requires some preparation.
• During laparoscopic surgery, carbon dioxide gas is pumped into the abdomen to help visualize the organs. This can be dangerous for people with certain heart or lung conditions .

Therefore, if you want to have surgery, it is best to talk to your doctor about this procedure and seek his advice.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of these surgeries?

Like anything, this method has its advantages and some disadvantages.

Advantages

• The damage (trauma) to the body is very low.
• There is very little bleeding during the surgery.
• The risk of complications is lower than with open surgery.
• Because the incisions are so small, the scars after healing are very small or even non-existent.
• The number of days you stay in the hospital is shorter. You can go home the same day after some surgeries.
• The healing time is very short. While a large cut can take months to heal, these small cuts heal in a matter of weeks.
• Because there is less pain, there is less need for painkillers.

Disadvantages

• This requires specially trained surgeons and special, expensive equipment .
• This facility may not be available in all hospitals .
• The surgery may take a little longer than a traditional surgery.
• As mentioned above, it is not always suitable for emergencies.
• For some people (especially those with heart/lung disease), using gas for surgery may pose some risks.

Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Laparoscopy, Keyhole Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Surgery, Small Incision