Piles, Fissure, Fistula and Varicose Veins
Laparoscopy is a type of surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to access the inside of the abdomen (tummy) and pelvis without having to make large incisions in the skin. This procedure is also known as keyhole surgery or minimally invasive surgery.
The most common risks associated with a laparoscopy are bleeding, infection, and damage to organs in your abdomen. However, these are rare occurrences.
After your procedure, it’s important to watch for any symptoms of infection. Contact your doctor if you experience:
There is a small risk of damage to the organs being examined during a laparoscopy. Blood and other fluids may leak out into your body if an organ is punctured. In this case, you’ll need another surgery to repair the damage.
Less common risks include:
In some circumstances, your surgeon may believe the risk of a diagnostic laparoscopy is too high to warrant the benefits of using a minimally invasive technique. This situation often occurs for people who’ve had prior abdominal surgeries, which increases the risk of forming adhesions between structures in the abdomen.
Performing laparoscopy in the presence of adhesions can take much longer and increases the risk of injuring organs.
Your doctor may change the dose of any medications that could affect the outcome of a laparoscopy. These drugs include:
You should also tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or think you might be pregnant. This will reduce the risk of harm to your developing baby.
You’ll probably need to avoid eating and drinking for at least 8 hours before a laparoscopy. You should also arrange for a family member or friend to drive you home after the procedure. A laparoscopy is often performed using general anaesthesia, which can make you drowsy and unable to drive for several hours after surgery.
You’ll likely be given general anesthesia for this type of surgery. This means that you’ll sleep through the procedure and typically won’t feel any pain. To achieve general anesthesia, an intravenous (IV) line is inserted in one of your veins. Through the IV, your anesthesiologist can give you special medications and well as provide hydration with fluids.
During a 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 depends 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 depending on the organ & type of disease .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 rates, will be monitored closely. Hospital staff will also check for any adverse reactions to the anesthesia or the procedure, as well as monitor for prolonged bleeding.
The timing of your release will vary. It depends on your overall physical condition and your body’s reaction to the surgery. In some cases, you may have to remain in the hospital overnight.
A family member or friend will need to drive you home if you received general anaesthesia. The effects of general anaesthesia usually take several hours to wear off, so it can be unsafe to drive after the procedure.
In the days following a laparoscopy, you may feel moderate pain and throbbing 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 2 weeks after a laparoscopy.
Here are some things you can do to ensure a smoother recovery: