Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgery preferred by many surgeons and patients. It is also known as band aid surgery or keyhole surgery because of the small incision size of the procedure compared to traditional open surgery. Laparoscopy uses an instrument called a laparoscope to look at the abdominal organs. This is a long flexible tube connected to a high-intensity light and a high-resolution camera. The surgeon inserts the tip of the laparoscope through a small incision in the abdominal wall. The abdomen is then inflated with carbon dioxide to expand the abdominal walls. The camera sends images to a video monitor that the surgeon uses to see inside the body. Depending on the surgery to be performed, several other tiny incisions may be made as well. The surgeon inserts special instruments through these holes to hold, cut, suture or staple inside the body. Once the operation is finished, the carbon dioxide is expelled from the abdomen and the incisions are stitched up.
Why laparoscopy Is Done
Laparoscopy is usually done to do the following:
- To do a biopsy or to see whether cancer in another area of the body has spread to the belly.
- To check for and possibly take out abnormal growths such as tumors in the belly or pelvis.
- To check for and treat conditions such as endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy, or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
- To find conditions that make it hard for a woman to become pregnant.
- To check for damage to internal organs.
- To do a tubal ligation or fix hernia.
- To take out organs, such as the uterus, spleen , gallbladder, ovaries, or appendix, and partial removal (resection) of the colon also can be done.
- To find the cause of sudden or ongoing pelvic pain.
Advantages of Laparoscopy
A lot of patients have reaped the benefits of undergoing this type of surgery. Some of the advantages of laparoscopic surgery over open surgery are listed below:
- Less expensive
- Smaller surgical scars
- Reduced blood loss during surgery
- Less pain following surgery
- Shorter hospital stay
- Faster return to normal activity
- Reduced risk of infection.
For more information about the laparoscopy at Dr. Zadeh, please call us at (760) 550-6327. You can also set an appointment online.