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Minimally Invasive Surgery

Riverview Regional Medical Center’s surgeons are recognized for their expertise in minimally invasive procedures. By using miniature cameras with microscopes, tiny fiber-optic flashlights and high-definition monitors, surgeons can perform surgery through small incisions that take only a few stitches to close. Smaller incisions result in less blood loss, less pain and a quicker recovery.

Minimally invasive procedures – including laparoscopic and computer-assisted or robotic surgeries – offer important advantages over traditional open surgeries. At Riverview, our surgeons perform more minimally invasive procedures than any other hospital in the region. These pioneering techniques use tiny incisions and miniature robotic instruments for everything from gall bladder removal to hysterectomies, allowing many patients to leave surgery with only Band-Aids for dressings.

For further information contact us at 256-543-5200.

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We continually invest in the latest tools, technologies and training and to date, are the only hospital in Gadsden equipped with the world’s most revolutionary surgical technology, the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System and MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing.

Most important to patients, our surgeons and clinical staff are among the most experienced in the state at performing minimally invasive surgeries.

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Many conditions can be treated through a minimally invasive approach. Minimally invasive surgical options generally include laparoscopic and robotic surgery. The advantages of minimally invasive procedures include:

Faster recovery times
Minimal scarring
Reduced blood loss and infection rates
Less postoperative pain and need for pain medications
Faster return to normal daily activities

Types of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Our surgeons offer the following types of minimally invasive surgery tailored to fit our patients’ needs:

Laparoscopic Surgery
Single Site/Scarless Surgery

Patients having laparoscopic surgery will have a small incision inside or near the belly button, and may have other small incisions beneath the belly button. These small incisions allow the passage of a camera and special instruments into the abdomen, allowing the surgeon to carry out the surgery.

Laparoscopy can be used to perform:

Evaluations for pain
Treat specific conditions
Remove internal organs, tumors and cysts

Our skilled physicians tailor the treatment plan and surgical approach to each individual patient. Together, you and your physician will decide which approach is best for you and your condition.

Computer-assisted or Robotic Surgery

Robotic or computer-assisted surgery is a specialized form of minimally invasive surgery. The robotic system used at Riverview Regional Medical Center is called the da Vinci Surgical System, which consists of two mechanical arms, a camera, a 3-D image processing system and a remote control unit.

The da Vinci Surgical System does not place a robot or computer in control of a patient’s surgery. To the contrary, our highly skilled surgeons control every aspect of robotic surgery at all times.

Using the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System, our trained surgeons now perform many complex operations that were impossible without open surgery just a few years ago. Similar to other minimally invasive procedures, robotic-assisted surgery is performed through a few tiny incisions. The da Vinci offers surgeons higher magnification, better flexibility and more precision than traditional laparoscopic surgery.

There are many benefits of laparoscopic and other minimally invasive surgeries to surgical procedures that were once performed only with open surgery. Your doctor will determine whether minimally invasive surgery is right for you.