Advancing technology and research have transformed surgery for the treatment of colon cancer in recent years. In the past, most patients underwent open surgery for colon cancer. However, patients now have a second surgery option, laparoscopic colon surgery, also known as a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure.
 

During a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure for colon cancer, we make two or three small incisions, in the patient’s abdomen.  A small video camera, or scope, is placed in one of the incisions, providing a magnified view of the patient’s internal organs on a monitor. Surgical instruments are placed in the other incisions, allowing us to work inside and remove the diseased portions of the colon.
 

Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures for colon cancer have been shown to be as effective as open surgery while offering many benefits over the open procedure, according to one of the largest controlled trials in the United States and published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2004. These benefits include:

Patients considering a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure should consult with a surgeon who is experienced in minimally invasive techniques.