St. Clair Hospital Physician Performs First Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgical Procedure In Western Pennsylvania

Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 28 Oct 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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St. Clair Hospital today announced that minimally invasive surgeon Antonio J. Ripepi, M.D., F.A.C.S. performed what is believed to be the first Single Incision Laparoscopic surgical procedure in Western Pennsylvania.

Using the new technique, Dr. Ripepi successfully removed the gallbladder of a 21-year-old female patient at St. Clair Hospital on Monday, October 20. The patient went home about five hours after the cholecystectomy and returned to everyday activities without delay.

Dr. Ripepi, a minimally invasive surgery specialist with offices at St. Clair Hospital Professional Office Building and in Pleasant Hills, said the operation involved making an incision of no more than 15 millimeters within the patient's bellybutton. Such a small, single incision minimizes visible scarring and pain and allows a surgical patient to return to normal activities as quickly as possible.

"Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery represents another leap forward in the expanding number of benefits of minimally invasive surgery," Dr. Ripepi said. "While the benefits to patients are certainly paramount, it's important to note that other interested parties, including hospitals, health care plans and insurers, employers and, of course, surgeons, also enjoy the advantages of this less-invasive approach to surgery."

Single Incision Laparoscopic surgical procedures are not limited to excising diseased gallbladders, but can be used in the removal of other organs such as kidneys, as well as with breast biopsies and other procedures. While Dr. Ripepi's pioneering patient underwent elective surgery to have her gallbladder removed, he said the single incision method might soon be used in emergency cases, as well.

Dr. Ripepi noted that most of the 4 million laparoscopic surgical procedures performed each year involve three to four incisions, including the so-called single-port laparoscopic surgery. Although multiple-incision laparoscopic procedures also reduce scarring when compared with traditional "open" surgery, a single incision is virtually scarless, he said.

"The patient's nurse, who has cared for hundreds of patients following gallbladder surgeries, said she literally could not find the patient's incision, it was so small and undetectable." The surgeon credited Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company and the inventor of the medical devices used in Single Incision Laparoscopic surgical procedures, with helping him learn the state-of-the-art procedure. Dr. Ripepi said he has several other patients scheduled to undergo Single Incision Laparoscopic surgical procedures in the next few months.

Source
Robert P. Crytzer
Public Relations Department
http://www.stclair.org