Myths about Laparoscopy you shouldn’t Believe

Myths about Laparoscopy you shouldn’t Believe

Although laparoscopic treatment is used extensively by surgeons in India to treat various diseases such as hernia, gallbladder stones, appendicitis, weight loss, ulcerative colitis, anti-reflux, there are several misconceptions among patients regarding this. The most common myths associated with laparoscopy are discussed below-

Myth: Patients with severe hernia cannot be effectively be treated with laparoscopy.

Fact:

In simpler terms, a hernia is nothing but the protrusion of an internal organ through the weak muscle around it in the abdomen. It should be treated immediately because if it’s left untreated, the hernia. Laparoscopic surgery is carried out to treat a hernia. Laparoscopic treatment is generally carried out by making 3 incisions, also known as ports, (each ¼ to ½ inch) while viewing through a tiny-device known as a laparoscope.

Hernia-1

The image projected on a high-resolution monitor is used to guide the surgeon’s movements. In the abdominal cavity, the hernia sac is removed from the defected area, and a prosthetic mesh is then placed to cover the hernia defect. While carrying out this procedure, surgeons maneuver their surgical pieces of equipment to avoid injuring the nerves near the hernia that can cause chronic pain if injured, blood vessels that can bleed, or the vas deferens which carries sperm from the testicle and can reduce fertility if injured.

Myth: Infertility cannot be treated with laparoscopic surgery

Fact:

The main reason for infertility in women is endometriosis. Endometriosis can actually be treated much more effectively by laparoscopic treatment. Endometriosis is present in a variety of forms. Certain lesions can be so tiny that it is not visible to the naked eye or occur in places such as beneath the uterus which is inaccessible by surgeons without the help of a laparoscope. In extreme cases of endometriosis, adhesions may arise that can infiltrate deeply into tissues. Laparoscopy is the only method for effective treatment when these deep lesions are in hard to find places. To prevent injuries to internal organs such as the bowel, bladder, ureter, or blood vessels surgeons require need room to maneuver tools during the operation. The resolution of the device, laparoscope, the flexibility and precision of cutting tools such as the CO2 laser allows this type of treatment to be successful.

Myth: Large ovarian cysts, fibroid, etc. cannot undergo a laparoscopic because of the small incisions.

Fact:

Large abdominal structures can be safely and effectively be removed by laparoscopy. The benefits of this procedure are that there is almost negligible pain after surgery, blood loss is reduced to almost nil, less scarring as compared to “open” procedures. The procedure for removing fibroid is known as myomectomy. For example, for removing large ovarian cysts, using small incisions made during a laparoscopic surgery the cysts could be dissected free from the ovary without disrupting or rupturing it. Women who are above 40 years prefer laparoscopic procedure over traditional “open” operation in order to remove their uterus with fibroids in order to make sure there is no chance of recurrence. The microsurgical principles adopted during laparoscopic surgery also decreases the risk of developing future adhesions from the surgery itself.

Myth: Overweight or slender patients cannot undergo a laparoscopic surgery because visualization is poor through a laparoscope

Fact:

Laparoscopic equipment is available in a variety of sizes and lengths. These techniques are used to enter the abdominal cavity which is adjusted according to the patient’s body typology. Once the abdomen is inflated with CO2 gas, the view obtained is independent of the weight of the patient. In addition to this, the recovery is more rapid and the risk of complications is decreased when patients undergo laparoscopy than “open” procedures. Laparoscopy is usually recommended by surgeons as this provides better visualization of the abdomen and pelvis when compared to the view obtained via an “open” approach. Before the use of videolaparoscopy (i.e., laparoscopic images are transmitted and seen on a video monitor), indeed the visualization was poor because the surgeon viewed the abdomen through a tiny eyepiece on the laparoscope. Videolaparoscopy provides a much clearer view of the abdominal cavity because of which doctors can operate on their patients with more precision. Another benefit of laparoscopy is that its small diameter allows it to be placed in very small or obstructed areas, which would be inaccessible to the human eye. The inflation of the abdomen with the help of CO2 after making a port during laparoscopy allows for the separation of abdominal structures that are otherwise lying on top of one another during an “open procedure.”

Reports says that Laparoscopic Procedures are as safe as their “open” counterparts in severe situations. Laparoscopy is preferred by surgeons in India as it offers the additional benefit of a declined risk of post-surgery infection due to the small incision size and no handling of intra-abdominal organs. Patients who are scheduled to undergo laparoscopic surgery should visit the doctor’s office before the operation to consult with him/her the process in detail. This is recommended as the doctor would fully explain the procedure including what will be done and why, what are the risks involved, and how the patient will benefit from the procedure. The doctor also should answer all the enquires that a patient might have about the procedure.

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