The benefits of minimally invasive surgery include less time in the hospital, less risk of infection and a quicker recovery time. At Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, surgeons work together to offer a full spectrum of minimally invasive procedures — from gallbladder and hernia procedures to surgery of the colon, lung, spine, spleen and stomach. These specialists also collaborate to advance the use of endoscopic technology to other procedures that require open surgery.

Minimally invasive surgical specialists in the Department of General Surgery at Rush offer a variety of endoscopic procedures, listed below. Surgeons in other specialties also offer a wide range of minimally invasive procedures. See the list below for more information.

Bariatric Surgery

• Gastric Bypass (weight-loss surgery)

Colon/Rectum/Small Intestine

• Enterectomy (resection of small bowel)
• Ileocecectomy (resection of small intestine and cecum)
• Colectomy
• Low anterior resection of the rectosigmoid colon
• Abdominoperineal resection
• Total proctocolectomy
• Rectopexy
• Appendectomy

Esophagus

• Fundoplication (for the treatment of heartburn)
• Hiatal hernia repair
• Esophagomyotomy (for the treatment of achalasia)
• Esophagectomy
• Transgastric esophageal mucosal resection (for the treatment of severe dysplasia)

Hernia

• Inguinal hernia repair
• Ventral/incisional hernia repair
• Femoral hernia repair
• Diaphragmatic hernia repair (congenital and traumatic)

Kidney/Adrenal

• Nephrectomy (kidney removal)
• Donor nephrectomy
• Adrenalectomy

Liver/Bile Ducts/Gallbladder

• Cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder)
• Common bile duct exploration
• Liver biopsy
• Hepatectomy (removal of a segment of the liver)
• Liver cyst drainage/removal

Pancreas

• Pancreatectomy (resection of a segment of pancreas for benign/malignant disease)
• Pseudocystojejunostomy/pseudocystogastrostomy (drainage of pancreatic cyst)

Minimally invasive surgery is also available in these areas:

• Endovascular surgery
  • Stroke
  • Aneurysm repair

• Head and neck and skull-base surgery
  • Diagnosis, staging and removal of benign and cancerous tumors of the sinuses, soft palate, larynx, pharynx, tongue and thyroid
  • Repair of congenital abnormalities

• Joint replacement surgery
  • Knee replacement
  • Hip replacement
  • Shoulder repair

• Lung
  • Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)  for diagnosing lung injury and disease, lung lobectomy and tumor removal

• Obstetrics and gynecology

• Skull Base Surgery
  • Diagnosis, staging and removal of benign and cancerous tumors on the underside of the brain including pituitary tumors, meningiomas, and chordomas
  • Repair of cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)

• Spine surgery

Although minimally invasive surgery is rapidly becoming a viable alternative to traditional open surgery for many conditions, it may not be appropriate for everyone. There are times when the condition of the patient makes open surgery a better choice. At Rush, surgeons screen each patient to determine the very best option for that patient’s long-term success.

Minimally invasive surgery requires dramatically different surgical skills than those used with more traditional surgery. Unlike open surgery, endoscopic surgeons watch the movements of the surgical instruments on a monitor. As a result, extensive expertise with the manipulation of endoscopic equipment and the familiarity of performing a detailed procedure while viewing it on a television monitor is required.

Surgeons at Rush have extensive experience performing endoscopic surgeries. These physicians are pioneers in advancing the application of endoscopic surgery to conditions that currently require open surgery.