2006年VOA标准英语-Minimally Invasive Surgery is New Trend

By Melinda Smith
Washington, DC
27 July 2006
 
watch Surgery report

Having surgery used to mean the permanent memento¹ of an ugly scar.  But the trend in modern surgery is something called "M.I.P.", which stands for Minimally² Invasive Procedure.  There are distinct advantages to M.I.P. 

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Brenda Voulgardies speaks with her doctor   
  
When tests showed Brenda Voulgarides had a lump on her thyroid, she went to her doctor, who decided³ it needed to be removed.  Doctor Glenn Peters, a head and neck surgeon at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, recommended a minimally invasive surgery rather than a traditional surgical⁴ procedure.

 
Dr. Glenn Peters
  
"The minimally invasive [surgery] involves an incision⁵ that is about an inch long in the lower neck and it's usually oriented within natural skin lines of the neck, so that it blends in with the creases⁶ that go across the neck," says Dr. Peters.

Minimally invasive procedures were first done a half-century ago for head and neck surgery.  The technique has been expanded for almost everything from an appendectomy to gall⁷ bladder surgery, ligament repair, even some areas of the heart. 

Surgeons see the procedure on a monitor as surgery is being performed   
  
Surgeons insert thin tubes, called trocars, into small incisions⁸.  Then carbon dioxide gas is pumped to inflate⁹ the abdomen¹⁰ and create a working space between the organs and skin.  Surgeons use a tiny camera to see what needs to be done. Minimally invasive procedures have some advantages over conventional surgery -- less recovery time and less pain for the patient, plus a shorter hospitalization and less small scarring.

Tests showed the nodule on Brenda Voulgarides's thyroid was not cancerous.  She went home the same day as the surgery.  The scar is barely visible a few weeks after surgery.

"I have piece of mind now that that nodule's gone," said Voulgarides.

Minimally invasive procedures are not for everyone.  Patients who are obese¹¹ are not good candidates. Neither are those with previous abdominal¹² surgery, or people who suffer abnormal bleeding in the operating room. 

The majority of minimally invasive procedures are done in American medical centers. But it has become increasingly popular elsewhere in the world. 

1 memento   

n.纪念品，令人回忆的东西

参考例句：

• The photos will be a permanent memento of your wedding.这些照片会成为你婚礼的永久纪念。
• My friend gave me his picture as a memento before going away.我的朋友在离别前给我一张照片留作纪念品。

2 minimally   

最低限度地，最低程度地

参考例句：

• Food spoilage problems occur with minimally processed, concentrated frozen citrus products. 食品的变质也发生在轻微加工的、浓缩冷冻的柑橘制品中。
• So, minimally, they are responsible for such actions and omissions. 所以，至少来说，他们要对这样的行为和忽略负责。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

5 incision   

n．切口，切开

参考例句：

• The surgeon made a small incision in the patient's cornea.外科医生在病人的眼角膜上切开一个小口。
• The technique involves making a tiny incision in the skin.这项技术需要在皮肤上切一个小口。

6 creases   

（使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的第三人称单数 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹

参考例句：

• She smoothed the creases out of her skirt. 她把裙子上的皱褶弄平。
• She ironed out all the creases in the shirt. 她熨平了衬衣上的所有皱褶。

7 gall   

v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难

参考例句：

• It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。
• No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。

8 incisions   

n.切开，切口( incision的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cruciate incisions heal poorly and are not required. 不需要愈合差的十字形切口。 来自辞典例句
• After two days red incisions appear on their bodies. 一两天内身体会出现粉红色的损伤。 来自电影对白

9 inflate   

vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价）

参考例句：

• The buyers bid against each other and often inflate the prices they pay.买主们竞相投标，往往人为地提高价钱。
• Stuart jumped into the sea and inflated the liferaft.斯图尔特跳到海里给救生艇充气。

10 abdomen   

n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分)

参考例句：

• How to know to there is ascarid inside abdomen?怎样知道肚子里面有蛔虫？
• He was anxious about an off-and-on pain the abdomen.他因时隐时现的腹痛而焦虑。

11 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

12 abdominal   

adj.腹（部）的，下腹的；n.腹肌

参考例句：

• The abdominal aorta is normally smaller than the thoracic aorta.腹主动脉一般比胸主动脉小。
• Abdominal tissues sometimes adhere after an operation.手术之后腹部有时会出现粘连。