Minimally Invasive Surgery Services

For many disorders, traumas and other conditions, surgery offers the best treatment option.  Today, advances in technologies and techniques are making surgery safer, less invasive and more effective than ever before.

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Endoscopy and laparoscopy

As the only university hospital in Orange County, UC Irvine Medical Center provides the full spectrum of advanced surgical services, many of which are not available elsewhere in the region.  These include highly specialized minimally invasive techniques involving endoscopy and laparoscopy.  In endoscopy, a lighted tube, either flexible or rigid, is passed through a natural opening in the body (the mouth or anus).   A video camera allows the surgeon to see and diagnose problems and conditions that may be difficult to visualize using other techniques.  Additionally, many useful surgical procedures are now performed via endoscopy, including the removal of growths and diseased tissue, insertion of stents, and delivery of radiofrequency energy.

In laparoscopy, a miniature video camera and illumination source are passed through a small “keyhole” incision in the body. Tiny surgical instruments of various kinds are guided through these small incisions as well. The surgeon operates while watching magnified images on an operating room monitor. Laparoscopic procedures are performed for many common operations such as gallbladder removal and bariatric (weight loss) surgery, eliminating the need for large incisions.

The advantages of minimally invasive procedures have been proven in many clinical studies, including some initiated at UC Irvine Medical Center.  Among their many benefits are less trauma and pain, reduced blood loss, lower risk of wound infection, shorter hospital stays, speedier recovery and a faster return to normal activities.

da Vinci System

For certain procedures, the robot-assisted da Vinci® Surgical System is used. This innovative system provides our surgeons with unparalleled precision and 3-D real-time images during complex and delicate laparoscopic operations. UC Irvine Medical Center was the first in Orange County to install the da Vinci system, which is regularly used to treat patients with urological, gastroenterological, cardiothoracic, vascular and gynecological problems, among others.

Endovascular

Other minimally invasive procedures offered at the medical center include various forms of endovascular surgery, often used for cardiovascular problems.  Miniature instruments and devices are threaded through blood vessels to open clogged arteries (angioplasty), reinforce weakened areas (stent grafting) and destroy unwanted tissue.  Advantages of endovascular procedures include smaller incisions, less discomfort, no need for general anesthesia, reduced stress on the heart, less need for blood products and faster recovery.

Orthopedic/arthroscopic

Minimally invasive procedures are also used for back surgery, including the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis, a painful back problem.  Through two small inciscions, surgeons can now perform a decompressive laminectomy (sometimes  combined with a spinal fusion) to stabilize wobbly vertebrae infringing on nerves—without the large incision and muscle trauma associated with traditional surgery.

At UC Irvine Medical Center, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery is also performed on all major joints, including the shoulder, knee, elbow, hip and ankle.  And in another medical advance smaller versions of already miniaturized surgical tools have made it possible for surgeons to diagnose and repair many troublesome wrist problems as well.

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