Laparoscopic Bowel Surgery
Minimally Invasive Surgery:
Traditionally and before the invention of laparoscopy, bowel and abdominal surgery were mostly undertaken by making a large vertical incision in the abdominal wall. This was done to have access to the bowel and other internal organs. But with advances in medical technology, it is now possible to undertake many types of surgeries through minimal access by using abdominal cameras. This technique is known as laparoscopic surgery. While it is widely versatile, this surgery might not be used in all hospitals and in situations when the hospital doesn’t have the right equipment, trained surgeons and nurses, or facilities. Also, this is not used due to some medical complication or state of the patient.
Laparoscopic surgery, when used, reduces the size and degree of the large abdominal incisions required to reach the bowel and internal organs. It also reduces the manual surgical handling and trauma of the bowel and internal organs. Using the laparoscopic technique in surgery means less internal bleeding, less handling of the bowel during surgery, less bowel stasis following surgery, fewer problems from adhesions inside the abdomen, less abdominal wall pain and more rapid recovery and rehabilitation.
However, Laparoscopic Surgery is still a surgical procedure and may result in a certain degree of pain, require several days to recover and may be associated with its own particular complications. One such complication is that the laparoscopic technique may leave air within the abdominal cavity. The air in question collects and gets trapped in the upper abdomen immediately beneath the diaphragm. The trapped air can cause diaphragmatic or chest pain. This is felt in the upper abdomen on either side, or be referred to the back of one or both shoulders. It is exacerbated by deep breathing with the diaphragm. It may also move from side to side as you turn over in bed as the air moves around inside you.
Generally, laparoscopic surgery can be expected to reduce the degree and duration of pain following surgery and my reduce the time taken for recovery by perhaps 50%. Along with this quicker recovery, laparoscopy also allows quicker mobilisation and reduces the period of bed rest required and the duration of the hospital stay. In my case the usual duration for open surgery would have been 7 to 10 days whilst that for Laparoscopic surgery was expected to be at least 5 days. In fact I was fit enough to go home on the third day but this seemed unusually early so I was allowed home on the fourth day. The lack of internal trauma and handling of the bowel also results in less bowel stasis. The rapid mobilisation and early hospital discharge also has an effect of reducing the risk of DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis.
It should however be remembered that minimally invasive surgery is not applicable for all surgical procedures, all conditions and all patients. Neither are all bowel surgeons adept at, trained in, or have the hospital facilities and support to undertake laparoscopic surgery. However this is one option you should discuss with your surgeon when abdominal surgery is proposed.
Disclaimer: This information is only provided for general and background reading. The information should not be relied upon for treatment. The views provided are not necessarily those of the author or of the website. You should always take advice from your own general practitioner or treating specialist before a treatment is commenced or altered. In individual circumstances liability is not accepted for any reason by my-ileostomy.co.uk