Surgery

Here are definitions of medical terms related to laparoscopy: Anesthesiologist: a doctor who administers anesthetics and monitors the patient’s condition until surgery is completed Anesthesia: absence of sensation, especially artificially induced blockage of pain during surgery Anesthetic: a drug that blocks the sensation of pain during surgery Appendix: a finger-shaped tube of tissue (vermiform appendix) between the large and […]

Laparoscopy can be used either to diagnose or to treat various conditions. Or it may be used to identify a problem and treat it in the same operation. Diagnostic laparoscopy allows the doctor to look at structures inside the abdomen and see whether they appear normal or abnormal. It becomes valuable when physical examinations, lab tests,

Dozens of different kinds of operations are now being done using these new minimally invasive techniques. These include operations on the abdomen, heart, reproductive organs, nerves, ear, nose, sinuses, throat, joints, chest organs, urinary tract, and blood vessels. These techniques are also used in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Minimally invasive surgery may be an appropriate

Laparoscopy is easier on the patient because it uses a few very small incisions. For example, traditional “open surgery” on the abdomen usually requires a four- to five-inch incision through layers of skin and muscle. In laparoscopic surgery, the doctor usually makes two to three incisions that are about a half-inch long. The smaller incisions

Since laparoscopy involves minimal damage to body tissues, it is generally safer than open operations. In diagnostic laparoscopy, for instance, complications occur in about three out of every 1,000 operations, a significantly lower number than traditional surgery. A complication is an unforeseen problem that occurs during or after surgery, such as internal bleeding or injury

Almost every kind of doctor who performs surgery may use minimally invasive methods for some kinds of operations. Obsterictians and gynecologists often use laparoscopy to diagnose and treat women’s health problems. General surgeons may use laparoscopy for gallbladder disease. Orthopedic surgeons perform minimally invasive procedures to repair the knee and other joints. Trauma surgeons may

For laparoscopy, the patient is usually given a general anesthesia and is unconscious during the operation. General anesthesia relaxes muscles and makes it easier for the doctor to perform the surgery. Some procedures, however, are done with a local anesthetic to numb the immediate area of the body where the incisions will be made. The