SILS Dallas | Dr. Frank Felts Surgical Weight Loss

Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS), Dallas

Recent advances in laparoscopic techniques now make it possible for Dr. Felts to complete a bariatric surgery with a single incision, a procedure referred to as Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery, or SILS. Rather than the traditional five to six small incisions, a single small incision is used at the entry point and all surgical instruments are placed through this small incision. Always at the forefront of his industry, Dr. Felts is happy to offer this minimally invasive SILS option to his Dallas patients. Call today to schedule a free consultation and find out if SILS Dallas is right for you.

In some cases the incision can be placed within the belly button making it almost impossible to see once it has healed. If the belly button (umbilical) incision is not possible because of the patient’s weight or other medical factors, the single incision is placed just below the bottom of the rib cage either at the center or toward the left side of the abdomen. The incision itself is between three and five centimeters and, while not completely invisible, offers a small, easily concealed scar once healed.

Single Incision Laparoscopic surgery incision placement The single incision is used by Dr. Felts to introduce a special tube into the abdomen. All of the instruments and the tiny video camera used to guide the instruments are passed through the tube during surgery. Although performing surgery through a single incision is more technically challenging than using the multiple small incisions of traditional laparoscopic surgery, Dr. Felts believes the benefits of the procedure make the additional difficulty worthwhile.

Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) Benefits:

Less risk of infection: With only one incision through the abdominal wall, infection risk is reduced.
Faster recovery: Laparoscopic surgery in general has allowed many bariatric surgery patients to go home the same day as the procedure. Single incision surgery makes recovery even shorter.
Better cosmetic results: An umbilical scar is virtually invisible and a single abdominal scar generally provides a more cosmetically pleasing result for patients.
Less post-procedure discomfort: Although there are no studies available that show less post-operative discomfort, a single incision may offer less discomfort during healing than would be experienced with multiple incisions.

Single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS), Dallas is becoming the technique of choice for many abdominal surgeries, including bariatric surgery. Higher-weight patients or those with previous abdominal surgeries may not be suitable candidates for a SILS procedure, in which case a traditional laparoscopic technique will be used.