SAN DIEGO, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- In a clinical trial of surgeries using the body's natural openings, U.S. surgeons have successfully removed a gallbladder through a patient's vagina.

University of California, San Diego Medical Center surgeons report only one small incision through the naval was required to help guide the surgeons.

The procedure, called Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery, involves passing surgical instruments and a tiny camera through a natural orifice, such as the mouth or the vagina, to the desired organ.

By avoiding major incisions through the skin, muscle and nerves of the abdomen, patients may experience a quicker recovery with less pain and scarring while reducing the risk of post operative hernias.

The gallbladder surgery, preformed by Dr. Santiago Horgan and Dr. Mark Talamini, took less than 2 hours. The patient was a 42-year-old San Diego resident.

"This emerging technique marks a pivotal time in the world of surgery and patient care," Talamini said in a statement. "With this approach, we are hoping to take minimally invasive surgery