Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery allows certain highly trained surgeons to perform procedures such as hysterectomy through the belly button leaving no visible surgical scars.
Single incision post-operative photos: 
View Photo Gallery
Just a few years ago, it was not conceivable that major abdominal surgery could be performed laparoscopically without a single visible incisional scar. Fortunately due to the efforts of the leading physicians and engineers in the field of minimally invasive surgery, in 2008 a multi-port device and Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS™) were invented.
SILS PortSingle Incision Laparoscopic Surgery allows certain highly trained surgeons to perform procedures such as hysterectomy through the belly button (umbilicus) leaving no visible surgical scars! Dr. Farnam is the first surgeon in the state of Texas to perform a Single Incision Laparoscopic Hysterectomy. He participated in the research and development of the multi-port surgical device that makes this surgery possible. Dr. Farnam is the first physician in the Country to perform the Single Incision Hysterectomy using the da Vinci Robot (View El Paso Times Article).
The concept of SILS™ is simple. Instead of using three or four separate ¼ inch abdominal incisions, SILS™ uses a single one inch incision in the umbilicus. Up to three instruments can be passed through this single port. The major advantage over traditional laparoscopic surgery is that there are no visible scars. The only scar is hidden within the umbilicus.
Also, since there are fewer incisions, there is less tissue trauma and less risk of injury from multiple trocar insertions. Special roticulating instruments are used to gain better access and operate at difficult angles. SILS™ can be substituted for virtually any laparoscopic procedure.
Although the hysterectomy is the most common Gynecologic SILS™ procedure, many other surgeries can also be performed including: Ovarian cyst removal, Ovarian tumor excision, Tubal ligation, Myomectomy, and Sacral colpopexy.
For comparison, included below are examples of typical surgical scar results from a Total abdominal hysterectomy, and a traditional laparoscopic hysterectomy.
Typical Surgical Scars:
Typical Laparotomy incision
Traditional Laparoscopy incisions
Dr. Farnam's "Scarless" Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery
The Gallery below contains postoperative photos of Dr. Farnam’s patients who have had a SILS hysterectomy procedure. Compare these photos to photos of a typical laparotomy incision and conventional laparoscopy incisions.
Click on an image to enlarge.
Patient A - 6 weeks postop
Patient B - 6 weeks postop
Patient C - 6 weeks postop
Patient D - 6 weeks postop
Patient E - 6 weeks postop
Patient E - 5 months postop
Patient F - 5 6 weeks postop
Patient F - 3 months postop
For more information on Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery, please visit the Covidien website: www.sils.com/hysterectomy
