minimally invasive

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of minimally invasive¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

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

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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.

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

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The development of these extractors came after front-line medics highlighted the urgent need for a safe, fast, minimally invasive way to remove shrapnel.

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After his two previous episodes of atrial flutter, Harbaugh underwent ablations, which are minimally invasive procedures that treat irregular heartbeats by destroying heart tissue that causes abnormal electrical signals.

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