What is Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery? Benefits, Risks & Recovery.

Are you looking for a less invasive option than undergoing surgery? Well, advanced laparoscopic surgery might be a solution for it.

This innovative approach, often referred to as minimally invasive surgery, helps the surgeon to perform complex surgeries with small incisions and reduce recovery time and scarring.

Read this article to delve into the world of laparoscopic surgery and learn its benefits and applications.

What is Advanced Laparoscopy Surgery?

Laparoscopy is also known as diagnostic laparoscopy, which is a surgical diagnostic procedure that aims to examine the organs inside the abdomen. However, it's a less invasive procedure that requires only small cuts (incisions). 

Laparoscopy uses an instrument called a laparoscope, which is a long, thin tube with high-intensity light and a high-resolution camera in front that helps to see the abdominal organs. Additionally, these instruments are inserted through an incision in the abdominal wall, and as it moves along, the camera starts to send images to a video monitor which helps the surgeon to see inside the body without open surgery.

Why Is Laparoscopy Performed?

It helps to identify and diagnose the cause of pelvic and abdominal pain. However, it is usually performed when non-invasive methods don't provide help with diagnosis, and in many cases, abdominal problems are also diagnosed with imaging techniques, which include:

• Ultrasound
• CT scan
• MRI scan

However, laparoscopy is performed when these tests are unable to provide enough insights for a diagnosis, and it can also be used to take a biopsy or a sample of tissue from a particular organ in the abdomen. Yet, a doctor might recommend a laparoscopy to examine the following organs, which include:

• Small intestine and large intestine.
• Spleen.
• Appendix.
• Gallbladder.
• Liver.
• Pancreas.
• Stomach.
• Pelvic or reproductive organs.

Moreover, by observing these areas with laparoscopy, a doctor will detect:

• An abdominal mass or tumor.
• Fluid in the abdominal cavity.
• Liver disease.
• To check which particular cancer has progressed.

What are the Reasons to Undergo Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery?

Here are the reasons that surgeons can use this approach:

Fibroids: abnormal growths on or outside the uterus wall. However, these aren’t cancerous, but sometimes they can be.

Ovarian cysts : These are fluid-filled sacs that occur on or within an ovary. However, these are often harmless and disappear on their own, but they can sometimes cause symptoms that require treatment.

Endometriosis: It’s a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, which causes severe pain in the pelvis and makes it tough to get pregnant.

Pelvic Floor Conditions: It affects the muscles and tissues that support the pelvic organs and leads to problems like urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.

Ectopic Pregnancy: This occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the uterus, most commonly in a fallopian tube, which affects the normal pregnancy.

Cancer: Advanced laparoscopic surgery can also be used to both diagnose and treat certain types of cancer, especially in gynecological and gastrointestinal areas.

Who Shouldn’t Have Laparoscopic Surgery?

There are some reasons why laparoscopic surgery isn’t the right option for you, which include:

• You have already undergone surgery on the same area, and you have scars.
• When you have excessive body mass in the surgical area.
• When you have an infection or are bleeding
• When you have certain cardiopulmonary conditions.

What are the Latest Advancements in Laparoscopic Surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive approach that aims to provide images inside the abdomen by using small incisions and specialized instruments. However, there are the latest advancements in laparoscopic surgery, which include robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

It involves using a robotic system that helps to control the laparoscopy instruments which allows for greater precision and control during the surgery.

Single-incision laparoscopic surgery

This approach only uses one small incision, which is typically located in the belly button, to perform the surgery. 

Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) 

This approach uses natural openings like the mouth or vagina to access the abdomen which eliminates the need for cuts.

How is a Laparoscopic Procedure Performed?

Before the Surgery

• Before surgery, intravenous tubes will be inserted into a vein to deliver hydration fluids and special medication.
• Then you will get anesthesia that will make you sleep, so you don't feel any pain.

During the Surgery

• When the surgery starts, a small incision will be created near your belly button by the surgeon.
• Through this cut, a tube will be inserted, and carbon dioxide surges through this tube, which inflates the abdomen and allows the surgeon to get a clear view of the organs.
• After this, the surgeon will insert a laparoscope through the same tube which allows the images of the whole to be displayed on the monitor which helps the surgeon to operate easily.
• Additionally, if the procedure is performed to diagnose any condition, then it will take an hour, but if surgery is being performed, it may take time.
• When the surgery is done, the laparoscope and other instruments will be removed, and the incisions will be closed.

After the Surgery

• After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room where your vital signs will be monitored closely, and they will also check whether you reacted adversely to the surgery or anesthesia.
• However, hospital stay depends on your overall health and how your body reacts after surgery, yet you might need a family member to drive you home.
• Additionally, you may experience mild pain on the incision site after surgery for a few days, but it will go away with the prescribed medications.
• Before discharge, you will get a list of instructions on when you can start your regular activities, medications, and so on.

Laparoscopic Surgery vs. Open Surgery: Which Is Better

Both laparoscopic and open surgery procedures are increasingly performed by surgeons in India; however, open surgery is a traditional form of surgery that requires large incisions. On the other hand, laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive approach that requires small cuts. 

Here is a quick overview of the difference between laparoscopic and open surgery:

How is it Better than Open Surgery?

Well, laparoscopic surgery provides numerous benefits over open surgery, which include smaller incisions, reduced pain, and faster recovery times. Additionally, it results in less bleeding, lower the risk of infection and smaller scars. However, the minimally invasive nature of this procedure reduces tissue disruption and leads to fewer complications.

On the other hand, laparoscopic surgery allows for better precision and visualization with the help of cameras and specialized tools.

What is the Recovery Time for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery?

The recovery time for laparoscopic surgery depends on the type of problem you have, yet the recovery takes approximately 10 days to fully recover from the surgery.

What Are The Risks Of Laparoscopy?

The most common risks associated with laparoscopy are bleeding, infection, and damage to organs in your abdomen, but these are rare. So, after surgery, it's important to check for any signs of infection, and you should contact your doctor if you experience these symptoms:

• Fevers or chills.
• Continuous nausea.
• Persistent cough.
• Shortness of breath.
• Abdominal pain.
• Redness, swelling, bleeding, or drainage at the incision sites.
• Inability to urinate.
• Lightheadedness.

However, there’s a small risk of damage to the organs that are being examined during the laparoscopy, and blood and other fluids may leak out into your body if an organ is punctured. Yet there are some less common risks, which include:

• Complications associated with general anesthesia.
• Inflammation in the abdominal wall.
• Blood clots may travel to the pelvis, legs, or lungs.

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