Marshfield Clinic Surgical Teams Adopt Minimally Invasive Techniques for Faster Recovery

A growing share of surgeries performed at Marshfield Clinic Health System are now done using minimally invasive techniques, a shift that surgical leaders say has meaningfully shortened hospital stays for patients undergoing common procedures like gallbladder removal, hernia repair, and certain colorectal operations.

Instead of the large incisions once standard for these operations, surgeons now more frequently operate through several small incisions using specialized instruments and a camera that projects a magnified view onto an operating room monitor. The approach, sometimes assisted by robotic-guided instrumentation, allows for comparable surgical outcomes with significantly less trauma to surrounding tissue.

Shorter Stays, Faster Return to Daily Life

For patients across central Wisconsin, many of whom travel a considerable distance to reach Marshfield Clinic's main campus, a shorter hospital stay can mean a meaningful reduction in the overall burden of surgery, both in terms of recovery and logistics for family members providing support.

A general surgeon at Marshfield Clinic who has shifted much of his practice toward minimally invasive approaches said the difference in recovery trajectory is often dramatic. "A patient who might have spent four or five days in the hospital after an open procedure is now frequently going home the next day, sometimes the same day," he said. "That's not just a convenience. Less time in a hospital bed generally means fewer complications like blood clots or hospital-acquired infections."

Pain management needs also tend to be lower following minimally invasive procedures, surgeons say, which has contributed to reduced reliance on opioid pain medication during recovery, an outcome hospital leadership has specifically highlighted given ongoing statewide efforts to curb opioid prescribing where clinically appropriate.

Expanding the Range of Eligible Procedures

Marshfield Clinic surgical teams have steadily expanded the range of operations performed using minimally invasive methods over the past several years, a trend mirrored at academic medical centers nationally as instrumentation and surgeon training have advanced. Procedures once considered too complex for a minimally invasive approach, including certain bariatric and colorectal surgeries, are now regularly performed this way at the health system's larger surgical centers.

Not every patient or every procedure is a candidate for a minimally invasive approach, surgeons caution, and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis factoring in a patient's overall health, the complexity of the specific case, and prior surgical history. Open surgery remains the safer and more appropriate choice in certain complex or emergency situations.

Training the Next Generation of Surgeons

Marshfield Clinic's role as a teaching site means the shift toward minimally invasive surgery also shapes how the next generation of surgeons is trained. Surgical residents now spend significant simulation time developing the specific hand-eye coordination and instrument handling skills required for laparoscopic and robotic-assisted procedures before operating on patients.

A surgical education coordinator at the health system said the training investment reflects where the field is heading. "Residents graduating today need to be fluent in these techniques, not just familiar with them," she said. "It's become a core competency rather than a specialty add-on."

A Regional Resource

Because many smaller hospitals in Marshfield Clinic's network do not have the equipment or specialized staff needed for advanced minimally invasive procedures, the health system's larger surgical centers serve as a regional hub for patients referred from smaller community hospitals. For those patients, the ability to return home sooner after surgery, rather than facing an extended stay far from family, has become one of the more tangible benefits of the broader shift toward less invasive surgical care.