What is a laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy is a procedure used to check the organs in the belly (abdomen). It can also check a woman’s pelvic organs.

Laparoscopy uses a thin lighted tube that has a video camera. The tube is called a laparoscope. It is put into a tiny cut or incision in your belly. The video camera images can be seen on a computer screen.

One benefit of laparoscopy is that it is minimally invasive. That means it uses a very small cut in the belly. Laparoscopy usually takes less time and has a faster recovery than open surgery.

Laparoscopy may be used to take a small tissue sample for testing (a biopsy). It can also be used to remove organs such as the appendix (appendectomy) or the gallbladder (cholecystectomy).

Difference Between Laparotomy and Laparoscopy:

Laparotomy is basically a surgical procedure which involves a large incision in the abdomen to facilitate a procedure. While laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure which sometimes referred as keyhole surgery as it uses a small incision.

As laparotomy is relatively straight forward as most surgeons been performing surgeries in this manner as it is reliable, safe and considered a shorter learning curve with ease to perform. Laparoscopy on the other hand is has more steep learning curve and has it limitation . But it is rewarding in the sense of cosmetic appearance , faster recovery, lower infection rate and less pain for the patient. Its limitation is due to expensive equipment , limited mobility of the surgeons or size of the disease and sometimes due to cancer which risks of spillage might disseminate the disease which makes the disease worse.

There is always a risk of changing the laparoscopy to laparotomy during procedure as sometime if there is technical difficulties or the procedure deem not be able to complete thoroughly during the laparoscopic procedure as sometime we might encounter huge tumors.

Types of Laparotomy:

There are different types of incisions for laparotomy:

1. Abdominal Laparotomy: A common reason for a laparotomy is to investigate abdominal pain, but the procedure may be required for a broad range of indications. The abdominal organs include the digestive tract (such as the stomach, liver and intestines) and the organs of excretion (such as the kidneys and bladder). Your surgeon may need to operate to find out the exact cause of your complaint. For example, they may need to pinpoint the cause of internal bleeding in the digestive tract or find out where your bowel may be perforated (burst), before treatment can commence.

2. Midline: This incision runs down the middle of the abdomen. It is the standard Trusted Source incision for laparotomy. If people only need surgery for their upper abdomen, the incision will not run the whole length of the abdomen.

3. Paramedian: A paramedian incision is a vertical cut that runs to one side of the midline. It allows a surgeon to access the kidneys and adrenal glands.

4. Transverse: A transverse incision is a horizontal cut. Surgeons may choose to use this approach because it can cause less damage Trusted Source to the nerves supplying the abdominal muscle, and it heals well.

5. Pfannenstiel: Surgeons may use a Pfannenstiel incision to access the pelvic region, such as in the case of an emergency cesarean delivery.

6. Subcostal: A subcostal incision is a diagonal cut across one side of the upper abdomen. A surgeon may use a subcostal incision to access the gallbladder or liver on the right side or the spleen on the left side.

7. Rooftop (chevron): If the surgeon makes a subcostal incision on each side of the body, the incisions may meet in the middle to make a rooftop incision.

Types of laparoscopes

 There are two  types of laparoscope

1.    A telescopic rod lens system, usually connected to a video camera  (single-chip or three-chip)
2.   A digital laparoscope where a miniature digital video camera is placed at    the end of the laparoscope, eliminating the rod lens system

Some types of laparoscopic treatment include:

Laparotomy and Laparoscopy Recovery

Laparotomy Recovery duration:

As people can undergo a laparotomy for a wide range of reasons, the recovery time can vary significantly among individuals. Many other factors, including the person’s age and overall health, will also determine how long it takes them to feel better.

People can take steps at home to rest and allow their body to recover. These include:

1. resting as much as possible for days to weeks, depending on the doctor’s recommendation
2. continuing to move around and do any exercises that a doctor has set
3. getting other people to help around the home and with daily tasks, where possible
4. following all dietary guidelines from a doctor
5. taking medication as a doctor prescribes
6. avoiding all heavy lifting, including pulling or pushing items, sexual activity, and swimming for 6 weeks

Laparoscopy Recovery times

The time it takes to recover from laparoscopy is different for everybody. It depends on factors such as the reason the procedure was carried out (whether it was used to diagnose or treat a condition), your general health and if any complications develop.

If you’ve had laparoscopy to diagnose a condition, you’ll probably be able to resume your normal activities within 5 days.

The recovery period after laparoscopy to treat a condition depends on the type of treatment. After minor surgery, such as appendix removal, you may be able to resume normal activities within 3 weeks. Following major surgery, such as removal of your ovaries or kidney because of cancer, the recovery time may be as long as 12 weeks.

It is usual to feel tired with low energy during recovery, as the body is healing. It is also quite common to experience a wide range of emotions and have difficulty sleeping.

Note:

People may be unable to drive during recovery, either because they are allowing their body to heal or due to the medications that they are taking. A person can check with their doctor and inform their insurance company if this is the case.

Jalal Surgical Laparotomy Surgery Set