Meet the Team What is Minimally Invasive Surgery? Surgical Procedures Finding Our Hospital Classes & Support Groups Health Information Patient's Guide to Surgery Hospital Admission & Billing FAQ's Patient & Visitors Guide Success Stories Research Penn State Cancer Insitute Penn State Gastroenterology Surgical Weightloss Penn State Women's Health Giving to MIS Research Contact Us Home       A series of surgical techniques utilizing special surgical instruments and three or four tiny openings (versus a long incision) are used to perform a number of surgical procedures including gallbladder surgery, colon surgery, surgery of spleen, adrenals and kidneys, operations for heartburn and hiatal hernia, inguinal hernia repair, and others. Patient comfort is improved and a shorter hospital stay is achieved with these techniques. COMPARE: Minimally Invasive Traditional Hospital Stay Same or 1 day 5 to 7 days Return to Work 10 to 14 days 6 weeks Cosmetic results 5 tiny marks 8 - 12 inch scar Recuperative pain Minimal Significant Learn more about minimally invasive weight loss surgery Learn more about the Penn State Surgical Weight Loss Program, a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence Back   College of Medicine    |    Medical Center    |    Children's Hospital Privacy and Legal Notices   A Patient's Guide to Surgery