CTSNet Announces New Minimally Invasive Portal

Over the past few decades, new surgical approaches have been introduced referred to as minimally invasive or minimal access techniques. The rationale behind these innovations has been to reduce surgical trauma, and, in turn, reduce postoperative complications, hasten recovery, improve cosmetic results, stimulate quicker return to the workforce, improve quality of life, and enable the treatment of patients unfit for conventional surgery.

Critics of these developments have argued that the implementation of new techniques has brought additional expenses, prolonged procedures, increased technical difficulty (because of the lack of tactile evaluation and loss of depth perception), and new kinds of complications.

Regardless of the arguments for and against various minimally invasive approaches, further development in this area is inevitable. There are multiple driving factors behind this, including: patients who demand the same procedures through smaller incisions, industry advances and evolving technology, surgeons whose innovations stimulate their career development, and a patient-care philosophy that seeks to reduce postoperative complication rates and hasten recovery.

The purpose of the new portal is to create a compendium of materials that will function as a reference point for guidance, e-learning, and scientific scrutiny of minimally invasive techniques. Once the portal has been fully built out, a surgeon will be able to learn about specific procedures and how to set up a minimally invasive program, as well as find information on relevant courses, pertinent reading material, and relevant products.

The success of the new portal is dependent on the participation of health care professionals from around the world. Just as minimally invasive techniques rely on the teamwork of individuals in different disciplines, CTSNet encourages contributions from the entire team relevant to specific procedures, including anesthesiologists, cardiologists, perfusionists, physician assistants, pulmonologists, and nurses. CTSNet invites all experts in minimally invasive surgery to participate in this new initiative.

To submit minimally invasive content, please click here. For more information on the Minimally Invasive Portal or to become involved, please contact portal originator Peyman Sardari Nia.