Hard to believe but true. Not only does minimally invasive surgery mean less pain and suffering for the patient, it also means fewer days off work and lower costs – an estimated $14 billion in health care spending could have been saved in 2009 alone.  Check out the four types of surgery where minimally invasive equals big savings.

Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic both now do minimally invasive versions of several heart surgeries. Won’t it be grand one day when we can all expect to receive minimally invasive versions of surgeries – but only if earlier treatment with stem cells hasn’t worked.

And one fine day, perhaps, no one will have to face going “under the knife” at all.