Dr. Martin Barrios

“I just had surgery but… where’s my incision?” could be a question asked from one of Dr. Martin Barrios’ patients at Lehigh Regional Medical Center.

Surgery has evolved dramatically in the past years. Nowadays, a patient can have a gallbladder removed with a single one-inch incision in their abdomen. This can be done with a modern technique called Single PortSurgery, also known as laparo endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS), one port umbilical surgery (OPUS), single port incisionless conventional equipment-utilizing surgery (SPICES) or natural orifice transumbilical surgery (NOTUS).

The procedure, Barrios said, is an advanced minimally invasive approach in which the surgeon operates almost exclusively through a single entry point, typically the patients’ belly button.

All of the instruments necessary for the surgery are used through this single incision.

According to Barrios, the person experiences less pain since it is a considerably small incision and there are fewer complications, so patients can return faster to full activity.

On top of that, there’s a cosmetic advantage since the scar is minimal, making it much more aesthetically pleasing.

“Now in Lehigh Regional Medical Center we are able to perform single port surgeries for cases involving appendix, hernias, colon or gallbladder removal,” Barrios said.

Domingo Avila, from Lehigh Acres, is one of Lehigh Regional patients that has benefited from Single Port Surgery, hospital officials said.

He had a gall bladder removed using this technique. “When I woke up from the surgery, my question was: when are you going to start?” he said. “To my surprise, the nurse told me they were done! I was amazed by the fact that I didn’t feel nauseated or dizzy, and I was able to get out of the bed and

walk shortly after. He is also very pleased with the way the scar looks.

“I can’t even see it,” he said.

William Ovitt is also very happy with the results.

“I wouldn’t have gone anywhere else to have this done”, he said. He also explains that after his colon resection he went back to performing his usual

activities in a very short time and, best of all, he has no visible scar.

Avila and Ovitt are only two of the many patients that have benefited from this novel procedure at Lehigh Regional Medical Center.

“Lehigh Regional is always striving to offer

the best advanced care techniques to the people of Lehigh Acres and the general community. We are very proud to be among the few hospitals performing this type of surgery, ” said Jose Morillo, CEO of the hospital.