Definitions for "Minimally invasive surgery"
Surgery requiring small incision(s), usually performed with endoscopic visualization.
Surgery requiring one or more small incisions instead of a single large incision. It is usually performed with endoscopic or microscopic instruments. The goal of minimally invasive surgery is to decrease pain, decrease hospital stays, and save costs. The risks are often slightly greater than with conventional “open” surgery.
General procedures that avoid long cuts by entering the body through small entry incisions with long-handled instruments to operate on tissue within the body using viewing equipment for guidance.