Surgeries are one best method to cure medical complications. Not every disease can be treated with surgery but the one that can be surgically treated have long lasting and effective results. Sometimes, surgery involves repairing the damaged part to restore its normal function, and sometime completely removing the damaged organ is preferred to avoid further complications from the damaged organ. In either cases, the results are quite good. Earlier surgery meant running the knife over your body to cut open the part that has to be treated. But now-a-days many major and minor surgeries are performed using a simple, minimal invasive technique called as laparoscopy. Laparoscopy involves making a small insertion in the required area and inserting a tube like structure that has a minute camera fixed to it to view the internal organs and operate. One such surgery done using laparoscopy that is our topic of interest today is Gall bladder removal using laparoscopy method.
Basics of gall bladder
Gall bladder is a small pear shaped organ placed beneath the liver. It collects the bile juice from the liver and stores it. A small duct called bile duct from the gall bladder reaches the small intestine and delivers the bile juice into the small intestine during digestion. Sometimes due to unknown reasons the gall bladder develops stones in it called as gall stones. These gall stones are masses of cholesterol and bile salts that occupy either gall bladder or the bile duct and prevent the flow of bile juice into the small intestine. Presence of bile juice in the gall bladder may cause it to swell resulting in vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, and fever. Blocking of bile duct by gall stones result in jaundice (yellowing of skin). Under such situations a laparoscopic surgery to remove gall bladder is performed. This procedure is medically termed as laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy or laparoscopic removal of gall bladder is performed under local anesthesia. A small incision on the right side of the belly button region (just below your naval) is made. A small tube like instrument called cannula is inserted in the incision into the belly. Now a small device called laparoscope that has a minute camera, is inserted into the cannula showing pictures of internal organs on the TV monitor. Carbon dioxide gas will be pumped into the belly so that it is inflated and gives more space for the surgeon to work. Several small incisions are made to insert other cannula, which allows the surgeon to gently separate the gall bladder from its attachments like blood vessels and bile duct and then removing it through one of the openings. The bile duct is left inside the body. Sometime a special X-ray called cholangiogram is performed during the surgery to check for the presence of gall stones outside the gall bladder. If the surgeon finds one or more gall stones outside the gall bladder or in the bile duct, then the entire structure is removed in the same surgery using a special scope. The surgeon may also prefer removing the gall stones later through a second laparoscopic surgery or prefer an open surgery to remove all the stones. After laparoscopic surgery the incisions are closed with stitches or surgical tapes.
Benefits
Laparoscopy procedure for sure has many health benefits for a patient. Instead of having a 5-7 inch cut in the abdomen during a open surgery, laparoscopy is performed just by 3-4 small incisions in the abdomen region. It is associated with very minimal post operative pain and very less scars. Patients recover faster with laparoscopic surgery than with open surgery; many go home within a day and get back to normal activities very soon.
Side effects
Side effects or complications in laparoscopic cholecystectomy are very minimal. But the fact that sometime even the best surgery brings few mild complications cannot be denied. The complications associated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy are
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Accidental injury to adjacent structure like bile duct and small intestine
- Leakage of bile from the left out bile duct
- Injury to major blood vessels
- Risks due to allergic to anesthesia like difficulty breathing, pneumonia, blood clots, and heart problem
- Inflammation of pancreas
Laparoscopy is not for all
Although there are many advantages of performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the side effects of the surgery are also very less frequent, this procedure may not be safe for everyone. It is not recommended for people who have had a previous upper abdominal surgery or who are suffering from other medical conditions like cardiopulmonary disease, or if they are allergic to anesthesia or if they bleed a lot. Very importantly, if the patient is pregnant and in the third trimester, performing a laparoscopy is beyond imagination. However, performing a laparoscopy in the first trimester remains controversial, as the effects of carbon dioxide on the fetus is unknown. It is the duty of the surgeon to evaluate the previous medical history of the patient and decide whether he/she is an appropriate candidate for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Outlook
During earlier days performing surgeries means cutting open the body, which was considered a tedious procedure and requires long hospital stay. The recovery period was also very long. But the invention of laparoscopic procedures has allowed physicians to diagnose and treat many health complications on an out-patient basis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be used as both diagnostic as well as treatment option. This useful invention has proved as one of the greatest development in the field of medical science.
