Our Services

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery is done through small incisions. Using specialized techniques, miniature cameras with microscopes, tiny fiber-optic flashlights and diagnostic-quality monitors, CHRISTUS Hospital surgeons in many specialties can perform surgery through an incision that may require from zero to only one or two stitches to close. 

For patients, minimally invasive surgery means less trauma to the body, less blood loss, smaller surgical scars and less need for pain medication. Patients leave the hospital sooner after minimally invasive surgery and return to normal activities sooner than with conventional open surgery.

In most minimally invasive procedures, image-guided surgical equipment is used. At CHRISTUS Hospital-St. Elizabeth and St. Mary, image guided surgery (IGS) provides surgeons with a three-dimensional visual "road map" of a patient's anatomy along with the position of surgical instruments.

CHRISTUS Hospital has one of the largest and most experienced minimally invasive surgery teams in Southeast Texas, performing thousands of procedures each year at our hospitals and outpatient facilities. Minimally invasive surgery is performed both on an inpatient (stay in the hospital) and outpatient (go home the same day) basis.

Many surgeries are considered minimally invasive. Learn more about each of the medical procedures below here.

• Laparoscopic surgery (bandaid surgery).
• Endoscopy
  
• Percutaneous surgery
• Arthroscopic surgery
• Endovascular surgery
  
• Hysteroscopic surgery
• Stereotactic radiosurgery

Following are some of the types of minimally invasive surgery performed at CHRISTUS Hospital. Some procedures may not be available at all locations.

Heart Surgery

• Minimally invasive saphenous vein harvest for CABG
  
• "Off-pump" coronary artery bypass surgery
  (without use of cardiopulmonary bypass machine)
  
• Patent foramen ovale (PFO)

Colon and Rectal Surgery

• Colon cancer
  
• Colonic dysmotility -- slow-transit constipation
  
• Crohn's disease
  
• Diverticulitis -- diverticular disease
  
• Hereditary polyps
  
• Inflammatory bowel disease
  
• Large polyps that cannot be removed at colonoscopy
  
• Rectal prolapse
  
• Ulcerative colitis
  

Gastroenterologic and General Surgery

• Anti-reflux (GERD)
  
• Laparoscopic appendectomy
  
• Laparoscopic bariatric surgery
  
• Laparoscopic esophagectomy
  
• Laparoscopic femoral hernia repair
  
• Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery
  
• Laparoscopic hernia repair
  
• Laparoscopic lymph node biopsy
• Laparoscopic treatment for bowel tumors
  
• MOHS surgery
  
• Photovaporation of the prostate (PVP)
  
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy
  

Gynecologic Surgery

• Complete evaluation of irregular vaginal bleeding
  
• Endometrial ablation for excessive menstruation
  
• Hysteroscopic excision of submucosal fibroids
  
• Hysteroscopic polypectomies
  
• Laparoscopic hysterectomies
  
• Laparoscopic radical hysterectomy for cervical and uterine cancer
  
• Laparoscopic/hysteroscopic removal of fibroids
  
• Laparoscopic removal of benign ovarian cysts
  
• Laparoscopic repair of vesical vaginal fistulas
  
• Laparoscopic treatment of pelvic endometriosis
  
• Uterine artery embolization (UAE) for fibroids

Neurosurgery

• Cervical Disectomy
  
• Endoscopic resection of pituitary brain tumors
  
• Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms and carotid occlusive disease
• Lumbar laminectomy
• Kyphoplasty
• Stereotactic radiosurgery for brain tumors
  
• Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
  
• Percutaneous balloon compression of the trigeminal nerve (PBCTN)
  
• Vertebroplasty
  
• Volumetric stereotactic resection of brain tumors

Orthopaedic Surgery

• Arthroscopy of most joints
• Carpal tunnel release
  
• Endoscopic spine surgery
  
• Fractures of the pelvis
  
• Hip replacement
• Minimally invasive spine fixations, decompression techniques  
  
• Periarticular and intraarticular fractures of the lower extremity
  
• Release of joint contractures
  
• Rotator cuff repair
  
• Shoulder instability repair
  
• Treatment of early joint arthritis
  
• Unicompartmental knee replacement
  
• Vertebroplasty

Plastic / Reconstructive

• Abdominoplasty  (tummy tuck)  
  
• Breast Augmentation and Lift
  
• Reduction mammaplasty
  
• Rhytidectomy (face lift)

Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat)

• Coblation-assisted tonsillectomy
  
• Cochlear (inner ear) implants
  
• Endoscopic removal of nasal/sinus tumors
  
• Endoscopic sinus surgery
  
• Laparoscopic tonsillectomy

Thoracic Surgery

• Minimally invasive lung surgery

Urology

• Endoscopic procedures
  • biopsy tumors in carefully selected cases
  • determine the nature of lumps found in the upper urinary tract
  • diagnose and treat a wide variety of upper urinary tract disorders
  • find sources of bleeding or infection
  • treat certain types of benign tumors and lesions in the upper urinary tract
    
  • treat kidney stones
    
  • treat stones in the ureters
    
  • treat strictures in the upper urinary tract
    
  • treat the backward flow of urine from the bladder into the kidneys (Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR)
    
• Laparoscopic procedures
  • cyst unroofing or decortication (opening cysts to drain them)
    
  • donor nephrectomy (removal of a kidney from a healthy person to transplant in a recipient; also see kidney transplantation)
    
  • nephrectomy (removal of a kidney)
  • partial nephrectomy (removal of part of a kidney)
  • pyeloplasty (removing a blockage between the ureter and the kidney)

Vascular Surgery

• Balloon angioplasty and stenting of the carotid, renal, and peripheral arteries
• Endovascular repair of abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms
• Minimal incision aortic surgery for aneurysms or occlusive disease
• Radiofrequency or laser ablation of varicose veins

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Convenient, free parking is available at all CHRISTUS Hospital—St. Elizabeth and St. Mary locations, and complimentary valet parking is available at St. Elizabeth's main entrance.