Minimally Invasive Surgery

The Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) division at Fox Chase Cancer Center offers patients the latest advances in surgical innovation. In addition to standard laparoscopic or robotic approaches, many procedures can now be successfully performed with fewer and smaller scars through a surgical technique called Single Port (or reduced port) Surgery.

  • Reduced Port Surgical techniques allow surgeons to operate through one incision (vs. four or five for the standard laparoscopic or robotic surgery) as well as three and five millimeter incisions (as compared to eight and 10mm incisions with laparoscopic or robotic surgery). Aside from having less scarring, patients may benefit from improved recovery, decreased pain and less risk of complications.

    Surgeons in the MIS division are trained and actively perform reduced port surgery in cases involving the gallbladder, uterus, ovaries, appendix and parts of the colon. These techniques are offered to both cancer patients and for patients with non-cancer issues.  This surgical technique may not appropriate for patients who are obese or who have had major abdominal surgeries.