Minimally Invasive Surgery

Have you heard about “minimally invasive” surgery? Laparoscopic surgery is one of a kind. Doctors use it for gallbladder surgery and gynecology operations. Then it came into play for the intestines, liver, and many other organs.

Laparoscopy which is also known as diagnostic laparoscopy, is a surgical diagnostic procedure used to examine the organs inside the abdomen. It’s a low-risk, minimally invasive procedure that requires only small incisions.

Hence, to be precise a Laparoscopy is the type of surgery that uses smaller cuts than other surgeries done for the similar organ or body part.

The process takes its name from the laparoscope, a slender tool that has a tiny video camera and light on the end. When a surgeon inserts it through a small cut and into your body, they can look at a video monitor and see what’s happening inside you. Without those tools, they’d have to make a much larger opening. Thanks to special instruments, your surgeon won’t have to reach into your body, either. That also means less cutting.

Why was it needed?

Before this system came along, a surgeon who operated on his patients belly had to make a cut that was 6-to-12 inches long which gave them enough room to see what they were doing and reach whatever they had to work on.

How is it done?

In laparoscopicsurgery, the surgeon makes several small cuts. Usually, each one is no more than a half-inch long. (That's why it's sometimes called keyhole surgery.) They insert a tube through each opening, and the camera and surgical instruments go through those. Then the surgeon does the operation.

The instrument used in Laparoscopy is called a laparoscope which helps to look at the abdominal organs. A laparoscope is a long, thin tube with a high-intensity light and a high-resolution camera at the front. The instrument is inserted through an incision in the abdominal wall. As it moves along, the camera sends images to a video monitor.

How does it help in diagnosis?

Laparoscopy allows your doctor to see inside your body in real time, without open surgery. Your doctor also can obtain biopsy samples during this procedure.

Where is laparoscopy performed?

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

When is Laparoscopy required?

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

Ultrasound- It uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the body

CT scan- It is a series of special X-rays that take cross-sectional images of the body.

MRI scan- It 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.