Maybe we are not familiar with laparoscopy, and even some people don’t know the meaning of such term. Laparoscopy is a new way of surgery which has been practised by modern medical surgeons. The term laparoscopy is derived from Greek word “laparo” which means the flank and “skopein” the examine. Actually laparoscopy has been familiar since long ago but modern era increase the popularity of laparoscopy since surgery was first performed in France during 1987 and later introduced to USA in 1988.
Laparoscopy different with open surgery where the incision made on abdomen. Laparoscopy surgery just undergo by making small incision on the abdomen skin.
Usually the incision on laparoscopy is not more than ½ Inch long. During laparoscopy, the surgeon use an instrument called laparoscope.
It is a long and slender device which inserted to the abdomen through small incision on skin. Usually a camera attached to laparoscope and it is used to monitor the internal organs in the abdomen. Laparoscopy mostly used by obstetrician-gynecologist to see the pelvic organ and it can be seen through a monitor.
Which Organs can be diagnosed and treated by Laparoscopy?
Laparoscopy can be performed to diagnose these following organs :
- stomach
- spleen
- pancreas
- small and large bowel
- appendix
- gallbladder
- liver
- pelvic or reproductive organs
What kind of disease which can be cured by laparoscopy ?
Laparoscopy is used to diagnose a disease or disorder which happen on abdomen part and look for the cause of pain, infertility or pelvic mass. If the doctor found a problem in the area, treatment of surgery can be done at the same surgery. These are some conditions which can be treated by laparoscopy :
- Endometriosis
People who experience endometriosis and cant be treated by medication, is sugessted to take laparoscopy surgery. On laparoscopy surgery, the endometrial tissue can be found and remove at same time. - Fibroids
It can be serious problem since it can causing blooding and chronic pain. Fibroids is a tissue or cells group which grown inside or outside uterus. It can be benign but not all the fibroids are cancerous. Laparoscopy can be used to remove fibroids and solve the problem which is caused by fibroids growth. - Ovarian cyst
Cyst is common problem in some women. Cyst can be developed inside ovarium and it can be serious problem but it also often vanished without treatment. If the cyst does not vanished for long time then the obgyn may suggest to take laparoscopy. - Ectopic pregnancy
Laparoscopy is also useful to remove ectopic pregnancy . Ectopic pregnancy is a condition where the embryo which developed, attach to other organ else the uterus. This case may be danger for womam who experiences ectopic pregnancy, so laparoscopy can be performed to remove embryo. - Pelvic floor disorder
Pelvic floor disorder is complex condition which can occur on the muscle, tissues and ligaments which lay on the pelvic floor. People with pelvic floor disorder may has several symptom such as pain on urinary tract, the urgent need to urinate, constipation and other. Laparoscopy is tend to diagnose this problem more accurate and also remove the cause faster. - Cancer
Some types of cancer which occur over abdominal part usually can be detected and removed using laparoscopy such as ovarian cancer, colorectal, and etc. Cancer can be detected by some tissue or group of cells which grow abnormally inside the body. Laparoscopy is performed in order to take the tissue out of the body and prevent the spreading of the cancer cells to other organs.
Advantages of Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is believed having more advantages rather than open surgery. Below are some advantages of chosing laparoscopy surgery :
1. Less pain
Small incision of laparoscopy give less pain rather than open surgery, where doctor making cut on abdominal area. The pain comes by the cut of the nerve or wound on skin, the less cut you get the less pain you experience.
2. Shorter hospital stay
As well as other sugery, laparoscopy use general anasthaesia and the timing to conscious is vary but compared to open surgery, laparoscopy shorten the hospital stay time. Usually people who did laparoscopy in hospital will just stay a night in hospital.
3. Shorter recovery time
Less hospital stay means it takes shorter time to recover. Doctor will give more medication and treatment which can be done at home and its allow you to do light activities after surgery.
4. Smaller scars
Unlike open surgery which left large scars caused by cutting the abdomental area, laparoscopy just give you small scars ( not more than 1.2 Inch ) and it will easily to remove.
5. Less infection
Surgery usually involves infection by the incision or cut in the skin. Infection caused by the germ which normally found in skin or from inside the organ which the surgery has been performed then later spread to the surgical wound. It also can be caused by contamination from the hand of people who treat it or the surgical instrument. Laparoscopy has smaller scar which means the chance of getting infection is less compared to open surgery.
6. More accurate diagnosis
Laparoscopy usually perform if the doctor need more detail to diagnose what happen and what causing the pain inside pelvic or abdominal area. It is believed as the most accurate and the safest method to diagnose. The patient van be diagnosed and if doctor found the cause of the pain on same time, surgery treatment will be done to remove the cause.
7. Provide important information regarding gynaecologic disorder
Not only providing accurate diagnosis, laparoscopy can be used to detect the cause of infertility, endometropi disease or other disorder factors in gynaecology which cant be done by other method. Almost 80% gynaecolog use laparoscopy to solve problem on reproductive organs and it is become best choice regarding the safety.
8. Less expensive
Based on a study published in the US National Library Medicine, National Institute of Health, reported that the cost of laparoscopic surgery is cheaper than open surgery especially in the case of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy and sigmoidectomy.
9. Making you more productive
Faster healing time, less pain of wound and less cost will makes you back to activity sooner and after removal of disorder which you keep inside the body, you will experience more healthy body that can increase your productivity.
Post-laparoscopy symptoms
Some symptom that may appear after laparoscopy ;
- Fever
- Fainting
- Severe pain
- Vaginal bleeding
- Redness from incision
- Inability to empty the bladder
Risk factor of laparoscopy
Even laparoscopy provide more benefits than open surgery, it also has some risk factor that may happen during or after surgery :
- Longer anaesthesi may causing complication in patient since laparoscopy take longer time of treatment rather than the open surgery.
- Bleeding on the incision
- Internal bleeding
- Damage to other organ or blood vessel
How to minimize the risk of laparoscopy
There are some ways that need to be done before you perform laparoscopic surgery. Follow these tips :
- Must ask the doctor and make sure when you need to stop eating or drinking.
- If you need to take medicine before surgery just do it by using a sip of water
- Don’t wear anything that can bother the surgery such as jewelry, or watch or anything, just leave it at home.
- If you wear glass, contact lens or etc, remove it before the surgery being performed.
- Ask someone to drive you hospital before doing surgery and make sure the person drive you savely to home. You may also need someone who will take care of you during recovery time at hospital.
Those are the advantages of laparoscopy over open surgery. If you find yourself having problem with some organs which mentioned above, it is better to consult the doctor and ask what kind of treatment you must get and if you need surgery, which one is better for you by considering many factors.