Quick To Know | Unlocking the Future of Medicine: The World of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery, also known as "keyhole surgery," is a medical technique that achieves surgical goals by creating tiny incisions inside the body. This approach, compared to traditional open surgery, offers advantages such as minimal trauma, light pain, and rapid recovery. Below is bilingual educational material on minimally invasive surgery.

Minimally invasive surgery is a procedure that utilizes modern medical instruments such as laparoscopes and thoracoscopes. Its widespread application in the medical field is a development of the last couple of decades, with the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) performed by French surgeon Mouret in 1987, marking the birth of this type of surgery. Minimally invasive surgery focuses not only on the physiological improvement of the patient but also on their psychological, social, and mental well-being, as well as the enhancement of the quality of life.

Advantages of minimally invasive surgery：

1. Small incisions: Tiny abdominal incisions ranging from 0.5cm to 1cm, leaving minimal or no scars.
2. Mild pain: Patients experience little pain as the surgery is performed under intravenous anesthesia.
3. Quick recovery: Reduces damage and interference with organ functions, shortening postoperative recovery time.
4. Short hospital stay: Patients can get up 6-8 hours after surgery and are discharged within 3-5 days.
5. Minimal bleeding: Almost no bleeding during surgery, with advanced hemostatic instruments reducing blood loss.

Comparison of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Traditional Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery has many advantages over traditional surgery, such as reducing the trauma to the human body during surgery, alleviating patient pain, and accelerating the recovery process. However, it is not always suitable for all situations, and the choice of surgery should be based on the patient's specific condition and the professional judgment of the doctor.

The Future Development of Minimally Invasive Surgery

With the advancement of technology, the techniques and equipment for minimally invasive surgery are continuously developing and improving. The application of surgical robots has increased the precision and safety of surgeries. In the future, minimally invasive surgery is expected to be applied in more fields, bringing more benefits to patients.

Please note that while minimally invasive surgery has many advantages, it may not always be the best choice in every situation. The decision on surgery should be based on the specific circumstances of the patient and the professional advice of the doctor.