Lafayette General Medical Center


Single-Incision Gallbladder Removal - 3/23/2009 -
Dr. Philip Gachassin, at Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, continues minimally invasive movement A single incision in her bellybutton is all Alicia Patin had to show of her gallbladder removal surgery. On December 11, at Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, Dr. Philip Gachassin performed the unique procedure on Patin with only one incision instead of the traditional four. “The surgery went well,” says Dr. Gachassin. “Through that one incision in her bellybutton, we were able to use several specially designed laparoscopic instruments to remove her gallbladder safely.” “The advantage of one incision,” continues Gachassin, “builds upon the benefits of traditional laparoscopy—less scarring, faster recovery, less pain and less risk of infection. This minimally invasive approach can potentially increase those benefits, resulting in a better outcome for the patient. But truly, the biggest appeal for the patient is there is essentially no scarring.” Dr. Gachassin envisions that such single-incision surgeries will become more commonplace, and will expand to other laparoscopic procedures. “People live busy lives, and it’s often hard for them to take time off for surgery, even when needed,” says Dr. Gachassin. “There is great demand for procedures that are not only safe and effective, but offer a quicker return to normal activities and less scarring. I think the advances in single-incision surgery reflect the medical industry’s increasing desire to provide patient-centered care along with improved results.” ### About Lafayette General Surgical Hospital is a short-stay surgical hospital and medical office building that is part of a joint venture with Lafayette General Medical Center and local physicians. Specialties available at the facility include: urology, orthopedics, otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat), general surgery, ophthalmology, cosmetic surgery and neurosurgery. Our mission is to exceed the expectations of patients and their families by providing comforting, individualized and convenient surgical/medical care of the highest quality, in the most cost effective manner.