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Minimally invasive surgery, also known as endoscopic or keyhole surgery improves patient outcomes compared to traditional open surgery.

Some of the main advantages are:

• Smaller surgical wounds decrease healing time, resulting in faster return to normal activities
• Decreased pain after surgery results in faster recovery from anaesthesia and earlier discharge from the hospital
• Magnification makes technical surgeries easier to perform
• Use of start-of-the-art technologies decrease risk of bleeding and other surgical complications, making surgery safer.

Veterinary surgeons at the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø have partnered with specialists in human minimally invasive surgery at the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust Hospital in London, to undergo extensive training at their World-leading Medical Simulation Centre.  A grant from the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø’s Animal Care Trust has ensured our minimally invasive surgeons have the most up-to-date kit available.

The аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø offers the following minimally invasive surgeries:

• Exploratory laparoscopy, including biopsies, for the investigation of gastrointestinal disease including liver problems, inflammatory bowel disease and cancers of the gut.
• Exploratory thoracoscopy, including biopsies, for the investigation of lung diseases, diseases of the chest well and lung cancers.
• Laparoscopic adrenalectomy, for management of animals with Cushing’s disease and other adrenal gland problems.
• Laparoscopic neutering including ovariectomy, ovariohysterectomy (for pyometra) and castration of dogs with undescended testes.
• We are happy to perform this surgery in brachycephalic dogs, at the same time as surgery to correct their airway problems.
• Laparoscopic splenectomy for removal of diseased spleens.
• Prophylactic gastropexy to prevent gastric dilatation volvulus, especially seen in large breed dogs.
• We stitch the stomach to the body wall, using stitches placed entirely using the keyhole approach. We are happy to perform this surgery at the same time as neutering.
• Thoracoscopic pericardiectomy, removal of the heart sac (pericardium) for the management of dogs with pericardial effusion.
• Thoracoscopic lung lobectomy for management of lung cancers.
• Other surgeries as required.

If you wish to discuss referral to our minimally invasive surgery clinic or our laparoscopy courses, please contact Associate Professor Karla Lee (klee@rvc.ac.uk).