Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic Surgery: Patient information Leaflet

Laparoscopic surgery, also called as minimally invasive surgery is a modern surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen are performed through small incisions (usually 0.5-1.5cm) as compared to larger incisions needed in traditional surgical procedures.

The key element in laparoscopic surgery is the use of a laparoscope: a telescopic rod lens system, that is usually connected to a video camera. This is illuminated by a fiber optic cable system connected to a 'cold' light source (halogen or xenon) to view the operative field. The abdomen is usually insufflated with carbon dioxide gas to create a working and viewing space.

The cavity to be working in is blown up like a balloon (insufflated), elevating the abdominal wall above the organs so that a space is created which will enable the Surgeon to carry out surgical procedures using fine long special instruments. The gas used is CO2, as it is common to the human body and is removed by breathing out via the lungs.

It is also nonflammable, which is important because of the electrosurgical devices which are commonly used in laparoscopic procedures. Various modern instruments like ligasure, habib sealer, harmonic scalpel are used to assist the operation and stop
bleeding from the dissected operative field.

Like any operation things may not work to plan and if there is non progression of the given operation though a key hole approach or there is bleeding not amenable to control via the key hole route then the key holes will bejoined and the operation will proceed to completion using open surgical techniques. This is called conversion.

The conversion rates are however usually quite low.
For the patient the advantages of succesfully completed Laparoscopic surgery are tremendous. Not only can Laparoscopic Surgery compare with long term results of many open surgical procedures but it also has the added advantages over the open surgical techniques such as

• Reduced pain
• Early mobilisation
• Less in hospital stay
• Reduced bleeding
• Precision may be improved as the image viewed is magnified on the TV monitor
• Smaller scars leading to improved cosmesis
• Early return to work

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