What is Laparoscopic Surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that allows the surgeon to gain access to the inside of the body without the need to create a large surgical wound. There are a number of benefits associated with laparoscopic surgery and this has led to it being favored not only by surgeons but also by the patient. At the moment it is mostly gynecological and gastroenterology procedures that see the most uses for this minimally invasive surgery. This procedure is also commonly used by surgeons as a diagnostic tool.

The Benefits of Laparoscopic Surgery

The number of procedures that can now be performed by laparoscopic surgery has greatly increased over the last couple of decades. The reason for this is connected to the benefits that this technique has over other types of surgery including;

-Shorter hospital stays

- It is less risky for those people who are not well enough for open surgery

- reduced risk of post operative infection due to it being minimally invasive surgery

- Less pain post-operatively

- Smaller scars from minimally invasive surgery means less of an impact on body image

The benefits of laparoscopic surgery also mean that patients feel less fearful when approaching surgery. This is important because it encourages people to undergo important elective surgery that they would otherwise seek to avoid.

How is Laparoscopic Surgery Performed?

This procedure is minimally invasive and involves creating one or more small incisions rather than one large one. The surgeon uses small flexible tubes called laparoscopes to help them perform the procedure. This laparoscope contains a camera and light source so that the surgeon can see inside the body without the need to create a big wound. It is also possible to pass small surgical instruments down the laparoscopes so that different procedures can be performed such as cutting or cauterization. Laparoscopic treatments demand a high level of skill and dexterity from the surgeon as he has to do his work by manipulating the laparoscopes while staring at a TV screen.

The Future of Laparoscopic Surgery

It seems highly probably that even more procedures will be performed in the future using minimally invasive surgery. Some experts predict that in a few years it will be quite rare for a surgeon to need to open up the body with large surgical wounds. This should mean shorter stays in hospital and less risk of complications arising following surgery.

Sources

NHS Choices article - Laparoscopy (accessed 24^th May 2010)

Mayo Clinic article - Minimally Invasive Surgery (accessed 24^th May 2010)

Patient UK article - Laparoscopy and Laparoscopic Surgery (accessed 24^th May 2010)