COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What if surgery was possible with just one small incision?
It's becoming a reality in medicine and you can find the beginning of the trend in Columbus.
Mount Carmel Hospital will perform a less-invasive surgery as a new option for gallbladder patients, NBC 4's Mikaela Hunt reported.
Through the belly button, Mount Carmel Hospital East is able to perform the surgery.
Nearly 500,000 Americans have gallbladder surgery each year.
Dr. Jason Keith said the new cutting-edge procedure uses one incision to do the surgery -- instead of four.
"This is the next step in the continuum of laparoscopic surgery. In fact, some procedures are being done at highly specialized centers through one incision that are much more complicated than gallbladder removal," Dr. Keith said.
The removal isn't for every patient though. It appeals to those who want the bikini-ready look.
"The feedback has been tremendous. Patients are very happy with the cosmetic appearance after the operation. It's been phenomenal," Dr. Keith said.
Dr. Keith said that in a very few hospitals, hysterectomies and reflux surgeries are being done with single incisions -- and that brings hope to the future.
"As the instruments improve and the technology improves, most of laparoscopy could be done in a single incision," Dr. Keith said.
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