laparoscopy and General Surgery

Laparoscopy

What Is Laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy, also known as diagnostic laparoscopy, is a surgical diagnostic procedure used to examine the organs inside the abdomen. It is a low-risk, minimally invasive procedure. Only small incisions are made.
Laparoscopy uses an instrument called a laparoscope 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.
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.

Laparoscopy is a procedure to look inside your tummy (abdomen) by using a laparoscope. A laparoscope is like a thin telescope with a light source. It is used to light up and magnify the structures inside the abdomen. A laparoscope is passed into the abdomen through a small cut (incision) in the skin.A laparoscopy may be done to find the cause of symptoms such as abdominal pain, pelvic pain or swelling of the abdomen or pelvic region. Or, it may be done if a previous test such as an X-ray or scan has identified a problem within the abdomen or pelvis. A laparoscopy enables a doctor to see clearly inside your abdomen. Some common conditions which can be seen by laparoscopy include

Why Is Laparoscopy Performed?

Laparoscopy is often used to identify and diagnose the source of abdominal or pelvic pain. It’s usually performed when other, 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, 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.
Your doctor may recommend laparoscopy to examine the following organs:
• appendix
• gallbladder
• liver
• pancreas
• small and large bowel
• spleen
• stomach
• pelvic or reproductive organs

By observing these areas with a laparoscope, your doctor can detect:
• an abdominal mass or tumor
• fluid in the abdominal cavity
• liver disease
• the effectiveness of certain treatments
• the degree to which a particular cancer has progressed

How Is Laparoscopy Performed?

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 center.
You’ll likely be given general anesthesia for this type of surgery. This means that you will sleep through the procedure and will not feel any pain. In some cases, local anesthesia is used instead. A local anesthetic numbs the area, so even though you will be awake during the surgery, you will not feel any pain.
During laparoscopy, an incision will be made below your belly button. A small tube called a cannula will then be inserted. 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 the abdomen is inflated, the laparoscope will be inserted through the incision. The camera attached to the laparoscope will display the images on a screen, allowing your doctor to see your organs in real time.
Up to a total of four cuts will be made. These incisions allow other instruments to be inserted. For example, your doctor may need to use another surgical tool to perform a biopsy. During a biopsy, your doctor will take a small sample of tissue from an organ to be evaluated.
After the procedure is done, the instruments will be removed. Your incisions will be closed with stitches or surgical tape. Bandages may be placed over the incisions.

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 tumors
• 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

General

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland (depending on local reference patterns). They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft tissue, trauma, peripheral vascular surgery and hernias.