Minimally Invasive Surgery Specialist
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Ray Sheppard Jr., MD
General Surgery and Advanced Robotic Surgery located in Huntsville, AL & Madison, AL
While surgery of any kind may not be the most welcome news, the words “minimally invasive” should provide some good tidings. At Ray Sheppard, MD General Surgery in Madison and Huntsville, Alabama, Dr. Sheppard offers surgical procedures that use the latest technology and science, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery, to make sure your surgery goes as smoothly as possible. To learn more, call or use the online scheduling tool to book an appointment.
Minimally Invasive Surgery Q & A
What is minimally invasive surgery?
At Ray Sheppard Jr., MD, minimally invasive surgery is a great example of how technology is changing the way surgeons are able to approach medical problems in the safest, least disruptive way possible.
At the heart of minimally invasive surgery is the use of a specialized camera, called a fiber-optic videoscope, which allows Dr. Sheppard a detailed view of the surgical site without the need for opening the area up for a firsthand look. The lighted camera is mounted onto a special tool, which Dr. Sheppard threads through a small incision. The camera feeds real-time video back to him on a video monitor, often providing him with better visualization than traditional, open-surgery techniques.
Once Dr. Sheppard has the necessary visualization, he then turns to small surgical tools, which he also threads through small incisions, to carry out his work. These tiny instruments translate the movements of his hands and perform complex and delicate maneuvers in a very small amount of space.
What are the advantages of minimally invasive surgery?
The advantages of minimally invasive techniques over traditional open surgery are myriad. To start, Dr. Sheppard only needs to make very small incisions to perform the work. This means that there’s far less collateral tissue damage than was often the case with older techniques. For example, for abdominal surgery, surgeons would simply cut through your abdominal muscles to reach the target area. With minimally invasive surgical techniques, Dr. Sheppard can preserve this muscle and still access your surgical site.
Because the incisions are so small, you also have less risk of infection and bleeding, and your recovery time is considerably shorter.
What are the different kinds of minimally invasive surgery?
Dr. Sheppard turns to minimally invasive surgery wherever possible, including:
- Gallbladder surgery
- Hernia repairs
- Appendectomies
- Small bowel and colon procedures
- Gastric and peptic ulcers
- Biopsies
- Laparoscopic adrenalectomy
Dr. Sheppard has had extensive training in minimally invasive surgical techniques and decades of experience. If you’d like to explore your options in minimally invasive surgery, call Dr. Sheppard or request an appointment by filling out the online form.
