Home > Media Relations > Mercy News Archive

Media Relations: Mercy News Archive

Dr. Thomas J. Swope, Director, Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery

Mercy's Dr. Thomas J. Swope Is Recognized At The 2009 "Health Care Heroes" Ceremonies For His Work In Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS)

Dr. Thomas J. Swope, Director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, was honored March 2009 as a Finalist in The Daily Record’s annual HEALTH CARE HEROES ceremonies.

Dr. Swope was nominated in the "Advancements in Health Care" category as one of the first physicians in Maryland to utilize single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). He also was cited for his dedication in teaching this new technique to other surgeons from across the region who come to Mercy to learn the procedure.

SILS requires only a single incision in the bellybutton rather than the traditional four incisions in the abdomen for organ removal (e.g. gallbladder, kidney, etc).

Dr. Swope will insert specialized tools through a 1/2-inch incision in the bellybutton. The tools include a flexible camera and an instrument to cut and suture. Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures such as this usually require four small incisions for separate insertion of the instrumentation.

“It’s more challenging than traditional minimally invasive surgery as expertise is required to maneuver the instrumentation and the camera,” said Dr. Swope. “But procedures, such as gallbladder removal, where this approach is effective are very common for general surgeons, so to be able to standardize this new approach would be a significant breakthrough.”

“Since you are entering via the bellybutton, it’s a nearly scar-less surgery as opposed to the traditional four incisions,” Dr. Swope added.

The single incision technique means fewer post-operative scars, faster recovery times, less risk of infection and bleeding, and less pain for patients. The fact that fewer instrumentation is used may also make the procedure ultimately more cost-effective.

Eventually, the technique could be used for other common gastrointestinal surgeries, such as appendectomies, some colon resections, weight-loss surgeries and gastrectomies, in which part of the stomach is removed.

Dr. Swope is Director of The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery at Mercy Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, MD. The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery is continually updating its technology as new equipment becomes available. The state-of-the-art facility houses intra-operative ultrasound and High Definition (HD) cameras, which provide better clarity during surgery. For more information on the Center, visit Mercy online at www.mdmercy.com or call 1-800-M.D.-Mercy.