LAPAROSCOPIC CANCER SURGERY

Minimally Invasive Surgery for Cancer: What You Should Know

  • Laparoscopic or “minimally invasive” surgery is a specialized technique for performing surgery for cancers.

  • minimally invasive surgery where the surgeon uses several small cuts in the abdomen (0.5-1 cm) to insert surgical instruments, including a long and thin tube with a light and a camera on the end called a laparoscope. 

  • A larger cut, about 3-5 cm wide, is made to remove the cancerous part of the colon or rectum. 

  • The laparoscope shows images on video monitors in the operating room.  

Minimally invasive procedures for cancers: 

The range of abdominal surgical procedures that we can perform with minimally invasive (or laparoscopic) techniques has expanded. 

Examples of our common laparoscopic surgical oncology procedures we perform include:

  • Laparoscopic colectomy—treats colon cancer

  • Laparoscopic lymph node biopsy—treats lymph node cancer

  • Laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy—treats cancer of the esophagus

  • Laparoscopic gastrectomy—treats cancers of the stomach

  • Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy—treats pancreatic cancer

  • Laparoscopic small bowel resection—treats intestinal cancer

 Benefits of minimally invasive surgery include:

  • Smaller incisions

  • Less pain

  • Minimal to no scars

  • Less blood loss

  • Lower rate of complications

  • Shorter hospital stay