A surgeon’s perspective on laparoscopic surgeries

Laparoscopic surgeries are an alternative to open surgeries. In this form of surgery, the cuts made on your body are much smaller than the size they would usually be with an open surgery. Types of laparoscopic surgeries include laparoscopic bariatric surgery, lap sleeve gastrectomy, lap appendectomy procedure, laparoscopy diagnostic and laparoscopic hernia repair.

The different surgical processes

When it comes to the different surgical processes that constitute the world of laparoscopic surgery, these are some you should know about:

Laparoscopic bariatric surgery is where several small cuts are made in your abdomen. After the cuts are made, a small camera, as well as a tiny high-intensity light, goes into your digestive system. What happens next is by looking at the pictures transmitted by the camera; the surgeon will make the stomach smaller and cause food to bypass the small intestine. This type of surgery is performed if you’re obese and need to lose weight.

A lap sleeve gastrectomy is performed when about 75% of your stomach is removed, but the small intestine is not. More importantly, it is performed for similar reasons to a bariatric surgery with the same procedure.

In a lap appendectomy procedure, your appendix is cut after making small incisions in the abdomen through which the camera is put into. You need this surgery if you have appendicitis (a condition characterized by an inflamed and pus-filled appendix that causes pain).

A diagnostic laparoscopy is used simply to diagnose problems in the digestive system of your body and follows more or less the same process as the rest of them.

Laparoscopic hernia repair is another laparoscopic procedure where your belly is cut with small incisions, a camera is put into your belly and then the hernia is repaired by looking at the pictures on the camera.

Why should you opt for a laparoscopic surgery over open surgery?

The answer to this question lies in the number of advantages a laparoscopic surgery has over an open one. You can find out for yourself in the advantages listed below:

1. Shorter recovery time as compared to an open surgery

You have to remember that the wound is a lot smaller for laparoscopic surgeries as opposed to open surgeries; therefore, the wound will heal quicker. Research suggests that the recovery time from laparoscopic surgeries is about a quarter than that of open surgeries. Open surgeries normally take six to eight weeks to heal while laparoscopic surgeries take two. Due to the less time needed for recovery, the hospital will probably release you in 23 hours as compared to the usual 3 to 6 days.

2. Decreased chances of infection as compared to an open surgery

A huge benefit of laparoscopic surgery is that due to the fact that recovery time is a lot shorter, your chances of getting an infection are much reduced. This is the result of the wound taking less time to recover and there being less area for an infection to occur.

3. Decreased scarring as compared to an open surgery

After the surgery is over and recovery is complete, there are scars which will be on your abdomen. However, these scars will be much tinier if you go for a laparoscopic surgery as the incisions made are much smaller than those in an open surgery.

4. More safety and less pain as compared to an open surgery

Open surgeries create a lot of blood loss and cause a lot more pain than laparoscopic surgeries. This is a major reason for you to opt for laparoscopic surgeries as sometimes the pain from open surgeries can be unbearable.

Seeing the enormous benefits and few disadvantages of a laparoscopic surgery as compared to an open surgery, you can rest assured that a laparoscopic surgery is usually a better choice for your patient and you. But like any other surgery, remember to always consult an expert before opting for one.