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Advantages of Laparoscopic Surgery
Laparoscopic procedures provide many advantages to the patient,
surgeon, hospital and even your employer over conventional
open surgery. Almost all people are candidates for
laparoscopic colon surgery or minimally invasive surgery in
general. In 2005 there are very few indications to
have a procedure preformed using open technology and anyone
that is advised by their physician that laparoscopic surgery
cannot be done should seek a second opinion. Obtain a thorough
medical evaluation by a surgeon qualified in laparoscopic
colon resection in consultation with your primary care physician
to find out if the technique is appropriate for you.
Advantages of Laparoscopic
Surgery For The Patient
- much less discomfort after the surgery since the incisions
are much smaller
- quicker recovery times
- quicker resumption of diet
- shorter hospital stays
- earlier return to full activities
- much smaller scars
- less internal scarring compared to standard open surgery
- reduced post-operative pain, this enables you to breath
and cough better and the use of strong pain medications
is drastically reduced so the drowsiness, fatigue and unsteadiness
they cause is minimized
- faster improved appearance
- minimizing the trauma of access to internal organs
- clinical trials show that immune function is better preserved
with laparoscopic surgery. A recent study of patients undergoing
either laparoscopic or the traditional lengthy incision
"open" surgical approach indicates that open surgery
depletes the blood plasma of a protein that inhibits the
growth of tumor cells. The beneficial protein in question
is preserved in laparoscopic patients
- following surgery, the intestines become paralyzed, referred
to as postoperative ileus. This is caused by many factors,
including intra operative intestinal manipulation, pain,
and narcotic usage. It is thought that all these factors
are reduced in laparoscopic surgery, and that this accounts
for the earlier resolution of ileus following minimally
invasive surgery
Patients who qualify and go through with laparoscopic surgery
generally experience the above benefits. In fact, many patients
report an improvement in their mood and overall outlook following
the surgery.
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Advantages of
Laparoscopic Surgery For The Surgeon and Hospital
- Video magnification also offers surgeons better exposure
of the diseased organ and its surrounding vessels and nerves.
As a result, delicate maneuvers can be performed to protect
these structures during the surgery.
- reduced rate of complication (especially in the elderly)
- the reasons for this may be related to quicker return
of pulmonary function, less operative blood loss, and increased
ambulation following minimally invasive surgery.
- less elderly patients require admission to an assisted
living facility and can resume an independent lifestyle
after undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery then with
open surgery.
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Advantages of
Laparoscopic Surgery For The Patients Employer
- patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy generally
returned to their usual activity, two weeks after surgery,
whereas patients who underwent open colectomy reported returning
to their usual activity seven weeks after surgery.
Are there any
Disadvantages?
- The major disadvantage of laparoscopic colectomy is increased
operative time. Generally the surgeon will require a 30
to 75 minute increase in surgical time using the minimally
invasive approach. The surgeon’s experience is important,
and there is a significant learning curve for laparoscopic
colectomy. Operative time decreases significantly the greater
the number of procedures performed by the operating surgeon.
- The other major issue is the need for surgeons to take
special training in performing the many operations that
are available by this means.
- expensive equipment involved in performing the surgery.
Not all hospital operating rooms can afford to offer it
because of cost containment.
- The need for additional training is because laparoscopic
surgeons leave the familiar territory of a three-dimensional
operating field to working on a two-dimensional flat video
display. The shift is a critical one, and requires some
degree of practice moving around long laparoscopic instruments
while handling delicate tissues.
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