The benefits of minimally invasive surgery — which includes endovascular, arthroscopic and laparoscopic surgeries — are less time in the hospital, less risk of infection and a quicker recovery. At Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, physicians work together to offer a full spectrum of minimally invasive procedures — from brain and heart procedures to surgery of the gallbaldder, hernia, colon, lung, spine, spleen and stomach. These specialists also collaborate to advance the use of minimally invasive technology to other procedures that require open surgery.

Minimally invasive specialists at Rush offer a wide range of minimally invasive procedures.

• Endovascular surgery
  • Stroke
  • Aneurysm repair
  • Heart procedures, such as angioplasty, coronary stenting and coronary valve repair
• Arthroscopic surgery
  • Examine and treat damaged joints, including the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle, foot and hip
• Head and neck 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
• Laparoscopic surgery
  • Diagnosis of the cause of acute or chronic abdominal or pelvic pain
  • Evaluate the cause of infertility
• 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

Minimally invasive surgical specialists in the Department of General Surgery also offer a variety of minimally invasive procedures:

• 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/pancreas
  • Cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder)
  • Common bile duct exploration
  • Liver biopsy
  • Hepatectomy (removal of a segment of the liver)
  • Liver cyst drainage/removal
  • Pancreatectomy (resection of a segment of pancreas for benign/malignant disease)
  • Pseudocystojejunostomy/pseudocystogastrostomy (drainage of pancreatic cyst)

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, physicians screen each patient to determine the very best option for that patient's long-term success.

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

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

Locations

Interventional Cardiology
Rush Professional Building
1725 W. Harrison Street, 11th Floor
Chicago, IL 60612

Interventional Radiology
Rush Professional Building
1725 W. Harrison St., Suite 456
Chicago, IL 60612

Center for Congenital and Structural Heart Disease
Rush University Medical Center
1653 W. Congress Parkway, 770 Jones
Chicago, IL 60612

Center for Neuroendovascular Surgery
Rush Professional Building
1725 W. Harrison St.
Chicago, IL 60612