Mega Doctor News
Minimally invasive surgery is significantly on the rise in the United States, driven by the demand for shorter recovery, less pain and improved patient outcomes following a surgical procedure.
Nearly 100 million surgeries are performed annually in the U.S, according to the National Institutes of Health, with robotic-assisted surgery now accounting for 22% of all surgeries performed nationally. Meanwhile, about 15 million laparoscopic procedures are performed annually in the U.S.
Common minimally invasive surgeries include gallbladder and appendix removal, hernia repair, bladder procedures, hysterectomy, tumor removal and weight-loss surgeries like gastric bypass.
Due to smaller incisions that cause less tissue trauma, minimally invasive surgery offers significant advantages over traditional surgery, including less pain, shorter hospital stays, reduced scarring, lower infection risk minimal blood loss and quicker return to normal activities.
Women in the Rio Grande Valley who must have an operation can count on South Texas Health System (STHS) for nationally recognized minimally invasive surgery.
Three of STHS’ acute care facilities – STHS Edinburg, STHS Heart and STHS McAllen – have been recognized as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Minimally Invasive Surgery by the Women’s Choice Award®, placing them among the top-performing hospitals nationwide.
This designation signifies that the three facilities rank in the top 12% of more than 4,600 U.S. hospitals reviewed.
“Earning this special award reflects STHS’ system-wide commitment to providing advanced surgical options for the people of the Rio Grande Valley and ensuring that our teams have access to the best tools and training available to deliver quality, compassionate care at the highest level,” says Lance Ames, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Edinburg & STHS Children’s. “Our surgical teams at STHS Edinburg, STHS Heart and STHS McAllen are committed to patient safety and service excellence while advancing minimally invasive surgery through the adoption of cutting-edge technology because it helps us build a stronger, healthier community that’s able to recover faster.”
The Women’s Choice Award for Minimally Invasive Surgery is the only national designation that combines clinical performance, patient satisfaction and women’s healthcare preferences to identify top-performing hospitals.
To qualify, hospitals must Be listed by the American Hospital Directory (AHD.com) as providing robotic surgery, be designated by the American Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery (AIMIS) as a Center of Excellence or be designated by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) as a Center of Excellence in robotic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, or minimally invasive gynecology. In addition, the facilities must have no “worse than national rate” ratings from CMS for deaths from serious complications, surgical site infections related to hysterectomy orcolon surgery and complications with Knee/Hip Surgery.
STHS Edinburg, STHS Heart and STHS McAllen are among 538 hospitals nationwide to earn this prestigious recognition for 2026.
“Minimally invasive surgery is a great option for women, allowing for quicker recovery and fewer complications,” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “Our award provides women with a trusted resource to identify hospitals that excel in these advanced surgical techniques—so they can return to what matters most in life.”
STHS Edinburg, designated a Center of Excellence in minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery and hernia surgery by the SRC, has three da Vinci Surgical Systems, including the da Vinci 5 (DV5).
STHS Heart has a da Vinci Xi Surgical System.
STHS McAllen is home to a DV5 Surgical System.
To learn more about the minimally invasive surgery options available at STHS’ award-winning facilities, visit STHSEdinburg.com, STHSHeart.com and STHSMcAllen.com.
For the full list of America’s Best Hospitals for Minimally Invasive Surgery, visit womenschoiceaward.com.
