Incisionless Surgery

Incisionless surgery generally involves approaching the area to be treated through the body’s natural passageways – such as the mouth – rather than through an external incision. Using state-of-the-art instruments and techniques, physicians have increasing options for this type of surgery that results in a quicker recovery time for the patient along with typically fewer post-operative complications. Surgery to address GERD (acid reflux) is often performed via a transoral, incisionless procedure wherein the physician threads an endoscope through the mouth and esophagus to the place where a malfunctioning valve is located. This approach eliminates the possibility of external scarring while also reducing a patient’s recovery time and post-operative pain. Another type of relatively new “incisionless” surgery is a single-port incisionless cholecystectomy procedure for removal of the gallbladder. Here, the single port access point can be made essentially “invisible” by locating it right at the navel.