laparoscopic surgery

I was invited to observe laparoscopic surgery today at the local hospital. It was for a colon resection, where they snip out a piece of the lower intestine and staple the good parts back together. They do this by making several small incisions -- one for the light and camera, the other openings for the tools of the trade.

This is a lot easier on the patient than opening up a big cut and going in by hand -- minimally invasive. I interviewed the surgeons afterwards -- the big shot from San Antonio who teaches the other doctors how to do this procedure, plus the local docs who were learning the technique. They were pumped. Patient doing nicely and going home tomorrow.