What is Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure and can be safely carried out on patients of different age groups. With surgeons realizing that the longer and wider the incision, the longer the recovery time for the patient, and greater the risk of issues like hernia affecting the patient; the trend swung towards progressively smaller incisions for surgical procedures. This has been largely aided by the use of laparoscopic surgery. The laparoscope was invented in 1901 and has undergone radical modifications in the century since. The principle on which it works has remained the same. It uses a thin tube which has a tiny camera attached at its end to guide the equally tiny surgical tools inserted through a small incision on the abdomen or in the pelvis to correct the issue for which surgery is required. Sometimes, pelvic laparoscopy is used for diagnostic purposes to detect endometritis and cervical cancer. Obviously, it cannot be used in organ transplants, or even for reconstructive surgery. However, surgeons are increasingly using this method to perform an appendectomy, and tubectomy; remove stones in the gall bladder, and the urinary bladder; hernia repair; even for hysterectomy and fibroid removal. The major advantages are that the patient recuperates faster; pain levels are lower; the chances of infection of the surgical site are lessened; hospital stays are minimized, and postoperative complications are fewer. The patient can return to normal life earlier. In fact, laparoscopic surgery can be used to treat a variety of health conditions, injuries, and diseases with minimum side-effects. Children can receive laparoscopic surgery to correct various pediatric issues and conditions as it is a safer procedure.

Content Reviewed by – Asian Hospital Medical Editors