Minimally Invasive Procedures Now Available

Minimally invasive procedures (or surgeries) are generally defined as “procedures that are performed in a manner that causes as little trauma to the patient as possible”. These procedures involve less pain, less bleeding, less anesthesia, less complications, and less scarring when compared to more traditional surgical methods. Minimally invasive procedures almost always involve the use of small cameras and instruments, and can involve both rigid and flexible scopes. Rigid scopes are generally used for abdominal procedures like spays, while flexible scopes are often used to visualize the inside of organs like the stomach. Regardless of the type of scope, minimally invasive procedures have been proven to significantly reduce recovery times after surgery as well as overall post-operative discomfort in both humans and animals. Over the last several years, minimally invasive procedures have become one of the most rapidly growing areas of treatment in both human as well as veterinary medicine. In fact, minimally invasive options are now considered the standard of care in human medicine. Minimally invasive options have been available in veterinary medicine for a number of years now, but have generally been restricted to specialty/referral centres. More recently, the benefits of minimally invasive procedures have been appreciated in general practice and a select number of veterinarians have begun offering it in their clinics.