Laparoscopic Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic and robotic surgery) can benefit patients with less pain, discomfort, blood loss and a quicker return to normal activities. Surgeries are performed through small incisions, which replace the large incisions needed for conventional open surgeries.

St. Joseph's general surgeons have used laparoscopic surgery to treat a wide range of diseases, including those of the: abdomen (including adhesion, blockages), appendix, colon, esophagus, gallbladder, glands (including adrenal), hernias (including hiatal), intestines, pancreas, spleen, and stomach. Laparoscopic surgery at St. Joseph's has been used by specialists to treat diseases of the following systems: cardiac genitourinary, gynecological, and thoracic.

The use of robotics takes minimally invasive techniques into a new era, further minimizing the physical and emotional impact of surgery on patients. The daVinci robotic system has been available at St. Joseph's since 2005. During the robotic surgery, the surgeon sits at a control console where images projected from a binocular video camera provide incredibly sharp, magnified 3-D views of the surgical field at angles nearly impossible for the surgeon to see using traditional methods. From the console, the surgeon fully controls the robots “hands” which are inserted into the patient's body through ports the sized of a quarter dollar.

For more information on the da Vinci® Robotic System, visit davinci.sjhsyr.org.