What if you could undergo surgery without having a visible scar for the rest of your life?
Now you can.
The single-site surgical technique enables surgeons to perform certain abdominal and gynecologic surgeries through just one incision, usually in the bellybutton, leaving a small, concealed scar. While traditional laparoscopic surgery offers benefits like less pain, faster recovery, and less scarring over open surgery, the single-port surgery has the potential to extend these benefits even further. The procedures are made possible through the advanced port design, which can accommodate up to three laparoscopic tools to pass through with just one small incision. After the procedure, the surgeon removes the port, allowing the natural contours of the bellybutton to help hide the surgical incision.
Gynecologic Single-Site Surgery
Drs. Alexey Levashkevich and Armen Kirakosyan, both ob/gyn physicians with McLaren Medical Group are performing the SILS™ hysterectomy technique at McLaren Flint. The SILS™ technique allows for the removal of the uterus through a small incision made in the belly button. To perform this procedure, a SILS™ Port (a soft and flexible instrument equipped with three distinct openings which allows for the use of three surgical devices at the same time) is inserted through an incision in the belly button. When the surgery is complete, the SILS™ Port is removed, leaving one small incision which may not be visible upon healing. Recovery from the SILS™ hysterectomy may be similar to the two-week recovery time associated with laparoscopic hysterectomy; however, laparoscopic hysterectomies require multiple incisions that may result in more pain and scarring.
For more information, visit mclaren.org/flint or call the office of Armen Kirakosyan, MD at (810) 342-1700 or Alexey Levashkevich, MD at (810) 732-3660.
Abdominal Single-Site Surgery
 Single-site surgery is an advanced minimally invasive approach in which the surgeon operates almost exclusively through a single entry point, typically the patient's belly button. All of the instruments necessary for the surgery are used through this single incision. Similar to standard laparoscopic surgeries, the single port procedure still requires that the patient be under general anesthesia and that certain laparoscopic techniques be utilized. However, unlike traditional laparoscopic surgery that uses multiple incisions, the single-site surgery is performed through only one incision, leaving almost no visible scar.
With this new technique, pain and discomfort are also reduced to a minimum and recovery time is quicker. This technique is currently used to perform surgery for the gallbladder, appendix, ovary, and colon. While every patient may not be a candidate for single port surgery, the advanced technique can be still used to reduce the number of required incisions. |
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