LAPROSCOPIC SURGERY

Laparoscopy is often used to identify and diagnose the source of pelvic or abdominal pain. It’s usually performed when noninvasive methods are unable to help with diagnosis.

In many cases, abdominal problems can also be diagnosed with imaging techniques such as:

•     Ultrasound, which uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the body
•     CT scan, which is a series of special X-rays that take cross-sectional images of the body
•     MRI scan, which uses magnets and radio waves to produce images of the body

Laparoscopy is performed when these tests don’t provide enough information or insight for a diagnosis. The procedure may also be used to take a biopsy, or sample of tissue, from a particular organ in the abdomen.

Our doctor may recommend a laparoscopy to examine the following organs:

• Appendix
• Gallbladder
• Liver
• Pancreas
• Small intestine and large intestine (colon)
• Spleen
• Stomach
• Pelvic or reproductive organs

By observing these areas with a laparoscope, the doctor can detect:

• An abdominal mass or tumour
• Fluid in the abdominal cavity
• Liver disease
• The effectiveness of certain treatments
• The degree to which particular cancer has progressed

As well, your doctor may be able to perform an intervention to treat your condition immediately after diagnosis.

Less common risks include:

• Complications from general anaesthesia
• Inflammation of the abdominal

Laparoscopy is usually done as an outpatient procedure. This means that you’ll be able to go home the same day as your surgery. It may be performed in a hospital or an outpatient surgical centre.

You’ll likely be given general anaesthesia for this type of surgery. This means that you’ll sleep through the procedure and won’t feel any pain. To achieve general anaesthesia, 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.

In some cases, local anaesthesia is used instead. A local anaesthetic numbs the area, so even though you’ll be awake during the surgery, you won’t feel any pain.

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 centimetres 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. Bandages may be placed over the incisions.

When the surgery is over, you’ll be observed for several 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 anaesthesia or the procedure, as well as monitor for prolonged bleeding.

The timing of your release will vary. It depends on:

•     Your overall physical condition
•     The type of anaesthesia 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 about two weeks after laparoscopy.

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.

Results of laparoscopy

If a biopsy was taken, a pathologist will examine it. A pathologist is a doctor who specializes in tissue analysis. A report detailing the results will be sent to your doctor.

Normal results from laparoscopy indicate the absence of abdominal bleeding, hernias, and intestinal blockages. They also mean that all your organs are healthy.

Abnormal results from laparoscopy indicate certain conditions, including:

• Adhesions or surgical scars
• Hernias
• Appendicitis, an inflammation of the intestines
• Fibroids or abnormal growths in the uterus
• Cysts or tumours
• Cancer
• cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gall bladder
• Endometriosis, a disorder in which the tissue that forms the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus
• Injury or trauma to a particular organ
• Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the reproductive organs

Your doctor will schedule an appointment with you to go over the results. If a serious medical condition was found, your doctor will discuss appropriate treatment options with you and work with you to come up with a plan for addressing that condition.