New “Mini-laparoscopy” enables surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery with smaller surgical incisions than ever before.
When “Teresa” (whose last name has been withheld to protect her privacy) was admitted to Northside Hospital in Atlanta for surgery to treat her endometriosis, she was confident her surgery would be successful, but with less pain and a shorter recovery than procedures she had undergone previously. Her doctor, Ceana Nezhat, M.D., internationally renowned gynecologic (GYN) surgeon and program director for advanced minimally invasive GYN surgery at Northside Hospital, was using new “mini-laparoscopy” technology, which makes conventional laparoscopy even less invasive than it has ever been before.
Approximately 6.3 million American women and girls suffer from endometriosis. It’s one of the most misunderstood, and often painful, disorders of the reproductive system, in which stray uterine tissue grows where it shouldn’t – outside the uterus, often on ovaries, the bladder or the bowel. Laparoscopic surgery often is used to remove or destroy problematic tissue. Even women with advanced endometriosis may be treated using today’s minimally invasive surgery techniques.
While conventional laparoscopic instruments are about 1/2 inch in diameter, the instruments in the new "Mini-Laparoscopy Instrument Set" from Karl Storz Endoscopy-America, Inc. are only about 1/8 inch in diameter. Using instruments and telescopes that are smaller and thinner means smaller incisions, less pain and a faster postoperative recovery, as well as better cosmetic results for the patient. Yet the technology offers the same full functionality as its predecessors.
As for Teresa, after her surgery, she said that she had "simply stunning results and I couldn't be more pleased." Teresa is very active. She enjoys running, swimming and cycling, and she goes to her gym to exercise nearly every day. She had very little pain and discomfort after surgery and was able to return to her normal activities within a few days.
"Results from this new, even less-invasive technology have been remarkable, and I look forward to sharing my recent clinical experiences in presentations at upcoming meetings and workshops," said Dr. Nezhat. As vice president of the AAGL (American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists), Dr. Nezhat is currently serving as the scientific program chair for the organization’s upcoming 42nd Annual Meeting in Washington D.C., where he will be inducted as president.
A leader in the advancement of minimally invasive surgery, Northside Hospital treats more cases of endometriosis by operative laparoscopy than any other Georgia hospital and was the first in the state to offer the new "Mini-Laparoscopy.”
"Northside Hospital has long been enthusiastic in its support for technological solutions enhancing the quality of patient care and improving quality outcomes," said Dr. Nezhat. “The mini laparoscopy is a step beyond traditional operative laparoscopy and robotic-assisted laparoscopy in the advancement of minimally invasive surgery.”
Because of the smaller, slimmer “mini” instruments, Dr. Nezhat has been able to perform procedures on patients for which previous conventional laparoscopy and open surgery attempts have been unsuccessful. With the mini-laparoscopy instruments, he has successfully treated severe endometriosis including invasion to bladder and ureter. He also has removed adhesions, large tumors and mesh embedded in organs.
“The mini-laparoscopy technology is yet another improvement in minimally invasive surgery,” said Benedict Benigno, M.D., medical director of GYN oncology at Northside and founder of the Ovarian Cancer Institute. Dr. Benigno has referred several patients to Dr. Nezhat for the new surgery. “My patients are overjoyed to have this additional surgical option that has very few, if any, complications, and I look forward to how the technology will evolve as an effective cancer treatment.”
On Oct. 14, Dr. Nezhat also performed a mini-laparoscopy surgery, which was broadcast live from Northside Hospital to the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Boston and seen around the world.
Dr. Nezhat is the symposium chair for the 2nd World Symposium on Endometriosis, being held March 27-29, 2014 in Atlanta, and sponsored by Northside Hospital.
About Northside Hospital (www.northside.com)
The Northside Hospital healthcare system is an 838 bed, not-for-profit healthcare provider with more than 140 locations across Metro Atlanta, including three acute care, state-of-the-art hospitals in Atlanta, Cherokee and Forsyth. Atlanta consumers have voted Northside their “Most Preferred Hospital for Overall Healthcare Services” in the National Research Corporation’s annual Healthcare Market Guide for 16 consecutive years. More than 2,200 physicians and 10,000 employees serve more than 1,000,000 patient visits annually across a full range of medical services.
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