We’re going to turn next to a new technique being used in a few hospitals, which promises to revolutionize the way major surgery is performed. Doctors say it shortens recovery time, reduces pain, and perhaps more important to many patients, leaves no visible scars. As ABC’s John McKenzie reports, it’s medicine on the cutting edge.
Maria Verawed headed into surgery this morning to have her gallbladder removed. It will all be done through her belly button. -- Your belly button? -- That’s right. -- Why? -- It’s less scarring, one, and faster recovery. --Are you worried at all? --I’m not worried at all. -- It’s a great way to get into the belly. It’s safe. It’s located in a great position, so we can see everything we’re doing. And there’s less pain because we’re not going directly through any muscle."
This year, about a dozen surgeons across the country have taken laparoscopic surgery to a new level. Instead of requiring the customary three or four cuts through the abdomen to accommodate the light and camera and the various prongs, doctors can now use them all through just one half-inch incision in a place few people will ever notice.
-- What has changed to allow you to do this now though just one hole? -- The flexibility of the instruments. -- So this can move much more like this the surgeon’s hand and wrist and fingers? -- Absolutely. This new technique called ‘Single Port Access’ has been used not only to remove a gall bladder but an ovary, uterus, kidney, spleen, and appendix.
Doctors have also used this technique to repair hernias and colons. -- We’ve always been looking for something better, and as this developed over the past six months I really think this is going to be the next step in minimally invasive surgery and it’s really something great to offer patients.
Other surgeons are more cautious. -- This is very interesting technology. However, we have insufficient information to recommend to patients whether there are risks and benefits which are different from traditional surgery. But not for long. Training courses have already begun, teaching more surgeons how to hide more scars. John McKenzie, ABC News, New York.
promise : ( 밝은 ) 전망 , 가망 , 장래성 , 촉망 (hope), 유망, 약속하다 / signs that someone or something is likely to be successful in the future. ex. His life was hopeful and full of promise. * promise + to do/ promise + that 절 : ex. He promised to help us [that he would help us]. 그는 우리를 돕겠다고 약속했다. * promise + 목 + to do / promise + 목 + that 절: ex. He promised me to do it[that he would do it]. 그는 그것을 하겠다고 나에게 약속했다. * promise + to do : ~할 것 같다 ex. This evening promises to be a lot of fun. scar : 흉터 , ( 마음·명성 등의 ) 상 처, vt. ~ 에 상처를 남기다, vi. 흉터가 남다 ex. She dropped the ashtray and scarred the table. 그녀가 재떨이를 떨어뜨려서 테이블에 자국이 났다. cutting edge : 최선두, 최첨단 * at/on the cutting edge of something: ex. These models are at the cutting edge of computer * cutting-edge 첨단의 (state-of-the-art = sophisticated ) head : ~ 로 향하다 ex. He headed for the bus stop. * be headed for~ : ~ 으로 향하다 ex. He is headed for the hospital. 그는 병원으로 향하고 있다 . ex. Where are you headed? gallbladder : 쓸개, 담낭 * bladder 방광 belly button : 배꼽 laparoscopic : 복강경 검사[수술]의 * laparoscope 복강경 / lapar(o) 복벽(腹壁)의 뜻(모음 앞에서는 lapar-) ex. laparotomy 개복수술, - tomy 절 단, 절개의 뜻 / - scope ~경 customary : 습관적인, 통례의, 관례에 의한, 관습상의 ex. a customary law 관습법 abdomen : 배 , 복부 (belly) * abdominal 복부의 accommodate : 편의를 도모하다 , 숙박시키 다 , 수용하다 ex. The hotel can accommodate 600 guests. ex. The new facility will easily accommodate 50 workstations. prong : 뾰족한 끝, 포크의 갈래 incision : 베기 , 벤 자국 , 짼 자리 , [ 특히 외과의 ] 절개 flexibility : 유연성 , 융통성 , 탄력성 ovary : 난소 uterus : 자궁 (womb) kidney : 신장 spleen : 비장, 지라, 울화, 분통 * vent your spleen (=express your anger): visitors ready to vent their spleen at poor airline connections appendix : 맹장 * appendectomy 맹장절제 , 맹장수술 hernia : 헤르니아, 탈장 colon : 결장 ex. colon cancer 결장암 , 대장암 invasive : 침입하는 , 침략적인 , 침해하는 , 침 습적인 / invasive medical treatment involves putting something into the body or cutting into the body ex. invasive diagnostic techniques / an invasive disease spreads within the body and is difficult to treat ex. invasive bladder cancer sufficient: 충분한