Laparoscopy

Laparoscopy

What is laparoscopy?
Laparoscopy is a procedure used to examine the organs inside the abdomen. It’s a low-risk, minimally invasive procedure that requires only small incisions.
Laparoscopy uses an instrument called a laparoscope to look at the abdominal organs. A laparoscope is a long, thin tube with a high-intensity light and a high-resolution camera at the front. The instrument is inserted through an incision in the abdominal wall. As it moves along, the camera sends images to a video monitor.
Laparoscopy allows your doctor to see inside your body in real-time, without open surgery. Your doctor can obtain biopsy samples during this procedure. Surgical problems such as hernias, appendicitis, gall stones, etc can be treated with laparoscopy.

How do I prepare for laparoscopy?
You should tell your doctor about any prescription or over-the-counter medications you’re taking. Your doctor will tell you how they should be used before and after the procedure.
Your doctor may change the dose of any medications that could affect the outcome of laparoscopy. These drugs include:

• Anticoagulants, such as blood thinners
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin or ibuprofen
• Other medications that affect blood clotting
• Herbal or dietary supplements
• Vitamin K

You should also tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or think you might be pregnant. This will reduce the risk of harm to your developing baby.
Before laparoscopy, your doctor may order blood tests, urinalysis, electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG), and chest X-ray. Your doctor might also perform certain imaging tests, including an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI scan.
These tests can help your doctor better understand the abnormality being examined during laparoscopy. The results also give your doctor a visual guide to the inside of your abdomen. This can improve the effectiveness of laparoscopy.
You’ll need to avoid eating and drinking for at least eight hours before laparoscopy.

How is laparoscopy performed?
Laparoscopy is done under general anesthesia. This means that you’ll sleep through the procedure and won’t feel any pain. To achieve general anesthesia, an intravenous (IV) line is inserted in one of your veins. Through the IV, your anesthesiologist can give you special medications and well provide hydration with fluids.
During laparoscopy, the surgeon makes an incision below your belly button and then inserts a small tube called a cannula. The cannula is used to inflate your abdomen with carbon dioxide gas. This gas allows your doctor to see your abdominal organs more clearly.
Once your abdomen is inflated, the surgeon inserts the laparoscope through the incision. The camera attached to the laparoscope displays the images on a screen, allowing your organs to be viewed in real-time.
The number and size of incisions depend upon what specific diseases your surgeon is attempting to confirm or rule out. Generally, you get from one to four incisions that are each between 1 and 2 centimeters in length. These incisions allow other instruments to be inserted. For example, your surgeon may need to use another surgical tool to perform a biopsy. During a biopsy, they take a small sample of tissue from an organ to be evaluated.
After the procedure is done, the instruments are removed. Your incisions are then closed with stitches or surgical tape.

How long does it take to recover from laparoscopy?
When the surgery is over, you’ll be observed for 24 hours before you’re released from the hospital. Your vital signs, such as your breathing, and heart rate, will be monitored closely. Hospital staff will also check for any adverse reactions to the anesthesia or the procedure, as well as monitor for prolonged bleeding.

The timing of your discharge depends on: –

• your overall physical condition
• the type of anesthesia used
• your body’s reaction to the surgery

In the days following laparoscopy, you may feel moderate pain and throb in the areas where incisions were made. Any pain or discomfort should improve within a few days. Your doctor may prescribe medication to relieve the pain.
It’s also common to have shoulder pain after your procedure. The pain is usually a result of the carbon dioxide gas used to inflate your abdomen to create a working space for the surgical instruments. The gas can irritate your diaphragm, which shares nerves with your shoulder. It may also cause some bloating. The discomfort should go away within a couple of days.
You can usually resume all normal activities within a week. You’ll need to attend a follow-up appointment with your doctor as advised.
Here are some things you can do to ensure a smoother recovery:-

• Begin light activity as soon as you’re able, in order to reduce your risk of blood clots.
• Get more sleep than you normally do.
• Use throat lozenges to ease the pain of a sore throat.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes.

Laparoscopic procedures are done in our Department

Following are some of the routinely performed laparoscopic surgeries in our department : –

• Laparoscopic Appendectomy
• Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (removal of gall bladder)
• Laparoscopic Hernia repair
• Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
• Laparoscopic Ovarian cyst removal

We have now successfully treated over 5000 patients with varied surgical problems using laparoscopy.