Advances in medicine have developed to the point where more surgical procedures can be done through the use of laparoscopic or minimally invasive surgery. What this means for patients at Verde Valley Medical Center is less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times, allowing a more rapid return to the routine activities of daily living.

According to the American College of Surgeons, some of the most common general surgical procedures in the United States are appendectomies, gallbladder removals and breast biopsies. At VVMC, general surgeon Blair Faulkner, M.D., performs these procedures and many other via a method that requires less recovery time and pain for patients.

Known as laparoscopic—or minimally invasive—surgery, this approach uses a thin, lighted tube called a laparoscope inserted through small incisions to view, repair or remove the internal organs.

“The equipment that allowed us to perform laparoscopic surgeries changed around 1990 when surgeons could use minimal incisions to remove the gallbladder,” said Dr. Faulkner. “Today, VVMC surgeons utilize three or four half-inch incisions to perform a wide spectrum of procedures. This allows patients to return home the next day with a significantly reduced postsurgery recovery time.”

Bringing Surgery into FOCUS
When performing surgical procedures, Dr. Faulkner uses the HARMONIC FOCUS™ scalpel. The HARMONIC scalpel uses ultrasonic energy to simultaneously cut and coagulate soft tissue, which means a surgeon does not have to suture or tie off blood vessels during surgery. The technology has been used in more than 6.5 million procedures worldwide and is particularly useful in the general surgery field.

“The scalpel is beneficial in complex procedures, such as colon resection, which requires a large number of blood vessels to be tied off,” said Dr. Faulkner. “Using the scalpel, I do not have to transfer instruments in order to cut, clamp and tie. The result is a shorter operation, which requires less anesthesia and trauma to the body.”

What Minimally Invasive Means to You
The use of minimally invasive approaches for general surgery procedures means long scars from an appendix removal or colon resections are things of the past. Because surgeons are able to use smaller incisions, patients require shorter recovery times. Laparoscopic surgery also has been linked to a 50 percent reduction in hospital-acquired infection rates and a 65 percent reduction in hospital readmission when compared to open surgery, according to the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.

“Many patients find this postsurgery recovery time to be dramatically fast,” said Dr. Faulkner. “For example, individuals undergoing gallbladder surgery used to require six weeks before they could return to work. Today, many patients are able to participate in light activity within a week.”

Advanced Technology, Advanced Options
A wide range of surgical services is offered at VVMC. From most forms of gastrointestinal and abdominal surgeries to colonoscopies, VVMC is well-equipped to meet patients’ surgical needs. “We have a strong Anesthesia department and a highly skilled team of healthcare professionals prepared for any situation,” said Dr. Faulkner. “Through minimally invasive approaches, we are able to operate on patients who might otherwise have been deemed poor candidates for surgery. We’re proud to be able to offer these surgical benefits to patients.”