Laparoscopic Surgery uses the aid of a laparoscope, a thin rod with a camera attached, to visualize the abdominal and pelvic cavities through tiny keyhole incisions. This minimally invasive surgical technique is associated with faster recovery and better patient outcomes
What is laparoscopic surgery?
Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique used in the abdominal and pelvic areas. It uses the aid of a laparoscope — a thin, telescopic rod with a camera at the end — to see inside your body without opening it all the way up. Instead of the 6- to 12-inch cut necessary for open abdominal surgery, laparoscopic surgery uses two to four small incisions of half an inch or less. One is for the camera, and the others are for the surgical instruments. Minimally invasive surgery may also be called “keyhole surgery,” referring to these small incisions
What is a laparoscopy?:
A laparoscopy is a kind of exploratory surgery using a laparoscope. The surgeon explores your abdominal and\or pelvic cavities through one or two keyhole incisions. This is the less-invasive alternative to a laparotomy. It’s usually done for diagnostic purposes, to look for problems that imaging tests haven’t been able to identify. The surgeon may take tissue samples for biopsy during the exam. They may also be able to treat minor problems during the laparoscopy — for example, remove growths or blockages that they find during the exam.
What surgeries are performed laparoscopically?
Many common surgeries can be performed laparoscopically today. Whether you're a candidate for laparoscopic surgery will depend on how complicated your condition is. Some complicated conditions may require open surgery to manage. However, laparoscopic surgery is becoming the preferred default method for a growing list of common operations, due to its cost-saving benefits and improved patient outcomes. The list includes:
• Cyst, fibroid, stone, and polyp removals.
• Small tumor removals.
• Biopsies.
• Tubal ligation and reversal.
• Ectopic pregnancy removal.
• Endometriosis surgery.
• Urethral and vaginal reconstruction surgery.
• Orchiopexy (testicle correction surgery).
• Rectopexy (rectal prolapse repair).
• Hernia repair surgery.
• Esophageal anti-reflux surgery (fundoplication).
• Gastric bypass surgery.
• Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) for gallstones.
• Appendectomy (appendix removal) for appendicitis.
• Colectomy (bowel resection surgery).
• Abdominoperineal resection (rectum removal).
• Cystectomy (bladder removal).
• Prostatectomy (prostrate removal).
• Adrenalectomy (adrenal gland removal).
• Nephrectomy (kidney removal).
• Splenectomy (spleen removal).
• Radical nephroureterectomy (for transitional cell cancer).
• Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy) for pancreatic cancer.
• Gastrectomy (stomach removal).
• Liver resection.
Can laparoscopic surgery be used outside the abdomen and pelvis?
Minimally invasive surgical techniques are used in many areas of the body. Outside of the abdominal and pelvic areas, the method may be similar, but it’s called something else. In the chest cavity, a surgeon may use a thoracoscope to view your lungs through a keyhole incision. In the knee area, a surgeon may use an arthroscope. The scopes are named differently for the parts of the body they are looking at, but they are all modified versions of the same thing.
Is laparoscopic surgery major surgery?
The terms “major surgery” and “minor surgery” don’t have specific established definitions. Healthcare providers use them variably to describe how complicated and/or dangerous they feel one operation is compared to another, and to set expectations for the recovery period. If you ask them about laparoscopic surgery, you may get different answers depending on what kind of operation you’re talking about and how extensive it is.
On one hand, laparoscopic surgery is considered minimally invasive because the incisions are small and the organs aren’t exposed. Also, the kinds of operations that can be done laparoscopically tend to be less complicated ones. Surgeries that turn out to be more complicated than expected may not be able to be safely completed using the laparoscopic method, and may have to convert to open surgery, which is major surgery.
On the other hand, laparoscopic surgeries include organ removals, and if you feel like any removal of an organ must be major surgery, you’re not wrong. These kinds of operations carry certain inherent risks no matter how they're done, such as risks of bleeding, damage to nearby organs, internal scarring and so on. But they are also common and have high success rates, and with the laparoscopic method, the recovery times will be shorter and easier.
How safe is laparoscopic surgery?
It's at least as safe as open surgery, and some risks are reduced. Smaller wounds reduce the risk of infection, blood loss and postoperative complications such as wound separation and incisional hernia. Laparoscopic surgery minimizes the direct contact between the surgeon and patient, which reduces the risk of any transmission of germs between the two. It also minimizes post-operative recovery time, which reduces the risks of prolonged bed rest, such as blood clots.
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