Applications and advantages of laparoscopic surgery

What is laparoscopic surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery is an approach technique, a minimally invasive surgical procedure.

Currently, laparoscopic surgery is the technique of choice in many intra-abdominal surgical procedures. As the most common pathology is cholelithiasis (stones in the gallbladder), cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) is the most commonly practiced technique.

It is also indicated in the treatment of hiatal hernias, recurrent hernias, small bowel and colon surgery (both in benign and malignant pathology), in morbid obesity surgery, etc.

Advantages of laparoscopic surgery

The laparoscopic approach with 3, 4 or 5 small incisions, those larger than 12 mm, makes it possible to perform many of the surgical procedures that until a few years ago required open abdominal surgery with large incisions. Its main advantages are:

  • The reduction in the size of the incisions facilitates postoperative recovery.
  • Postoperative pain is minimized.
  • Reduced risk of infection in the immediate postoperative period.
  • In the long term, it reduces the risk of incisional hernias (eventrations).
  • It shortens hospital stays and the period of post-surgical sick leave.

In many procedures, it significantly shortens the surgical time, so that by reducing the anesthetic time, the risk of post-anesthetic medical complications is also reduced.

Advances in laparoscopy

In recent years, robotic surgery is being introduced, in which the surgeon intervenes remotely, without contact with the patient. This procedure can be used in all the cases and situations mentioned above, but so far, with the studies currently available, robotic surgery does not obtain better results than laparoscopic surgery and the cost-benefit ratio is worse.

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In the near future it is possible that this novel procedure will end up being widely implemented, as has happened with laparoscopy.

For more information on laparoscopic surgery contact a specialist in general surgery.