Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

minimally invasive

American  
Or minimal invasive

adjective

  1. (of medical treatments or procedures) requiring only a small incision or the insertion of an instrument into a body cavity; involving minimal damage of body tissue.

    minimally invasive endoscopy.


minimally invasive British  

adjective

  1. (of surgery) involving as little incision into the body as possible, through the use of techniques such as keyhole surgery and laser treatment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of minimally invasive

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While American dermatologists may excel at complex procedures requiring follow-up care, Korean clinics have perfected minimally invasive beauty treatments through decades of practice, says Dr. Teo Soleymani, a dermatologist and adjunct faculty member at the University of Southern California.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Our use case is minimally invasive intervention in the sky,” said Sven Steingräber, a former naval officer and co-founder of Argus.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead of removing it, surgeons performed a cryoablation, a minimally invasive procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy abnormal tissue.

From Los Angeles Times

Though the procedure has historically involved months of recovery and left patients with a cross-body scar, today it is much simpler and largely regarded by doctors as minimally invasive.

From Slate

In a previous statement provided to People magazine, representatives of Stevens said he was recovering after a “minimally invasive heart surgery” on Monday.

From Los Angeles Times