Most common risks associated with laparoscopy are internal bleeding, infection and damage to the blood vessels or organs like stomach, bladder or ureters.

After the completion of surgery, it is sensible to observed your body closely and in case of any discomfort immediately contact your surgeon.

Look for these signs before contacting your surgeon

• • Chills and fever
  • Pain in the surgical area with the increasing intensity.
  • Any deformity near the surgical area like change in color, shape or size or bleeding.
  • feeling of discomfort or vomiting
  • difficulty in breathing
  • dizziness or vertigo

There are some other risk that could arise due to uncontrollable factors, in some cases immediate surgery helps. This includes

• • complications due to body reacting negatively to the anesthesia
  • discomfort arising from damaged organ while surgery
  • blood clots

When laparoscopy is used?

In treating and diagnosing number of conditions arising mainly in the abdomen,
laparoscopy surgery is used. Hence, gastrointestinal surgeons and urologist
use this surgery more often.

It is helpful in diagnosis of cancers like liver, cancer in organs located in the
abdomen like gall bladder, pancreas, stomach, intestines etc. It is also useful in
removing organs like appendix, gall bladder, womb, ovaries etc. Visit the
following link if you want to more about when laparoscopy is used.

How it is performed?

It is performed under the influence of general anesthesia. Hence, you’ll have no
recollection of the surgery. You can often recover from it on the same day itself.

Before the process

Depending upon the type of surgery you’ll be instructed to avoid any intake of
food or water before few hours of the surgery.

You’ll be asked about your medication history and will be instructed to stop its
consumption for few days before the surgery. Because some medicines could
cause complication during the surgery.

In case of smokers, the patient will be advised to stop smoking before the
surgery as it could delay the healing process after the surgery. It could also lead
to complication or infection.

Most of the patients are discharged on the same day or the next day of the surgery.
It is advised to arrange a driver to drive you back home as driving will stay out of
bounds for the next 24 hours after the surgery.

The Surgery

A small incision is made in the abdomen by the surgeon. Incisions are 1 to 1.5 cm
in size.

A tube called laparoscope is inserted through the incision. Then the abdomen is
inflated with the help of some gases. This is done to provide a wide and clear view
of the organs inside our abdomen. The view is rendered out on a screen by the
laparoscope for the surgeon.

In case of removal of appendix or other small organs, other smaller in size surgical
instruments are inserted to carry out the removal. 

After the completion of the surgery the gases are extracted out of the abdomen
followed by stitches and grouping.

Recovery

After the surgery, you may feel disoriented, sick or vomit due to the effects from
anesthesia. These symptoms are common in various people and they pass very
quickly.

You’ll be kept under observation by the nurse until all your vitals are normal.

Before the discharge you’ll be instructed about things, like how to keep your stitch
clean, when to visit surgeon again or list of activities to be refrained during the
recovery period.

In case of discomfort or pain due to the surgical wound you are advised to take
painkillers to get some relief.

Cramps and body pain are some common conditions that arises due to the
minimum amount of gases present in the abdomen.

With each passing day the body will react to the wound and use lot of energy for
healing purpose. Hence a protein rich diet and complete sleep will help.

The time for recovery differs on individual, the condition of the patient for which the
surgery was performed, overall health and many other vitals.

But 5 days are more than enough for you to recover and get back to your normal
day to day activities.

Depending upon the reason for surgery the recovery time fluctuates. Like for
removal of appendix 2-3 weeks are enough for recovery. But for removal of kidney or
ovaries due to cancerous cell then the it gets extended up to as long as 11 weeks.

When to seek medical assistance after the surgery

To be on the safe side it advised to be under observation of someone after the surgery.
If you experience symptoms like

• • High fever
  • experience chills
  • severe vomiting
  • high intensity pain
  • changes like swelling, bleeding near the surgical site
  • abnormal discharge or bleeding from vagina
  • swelling of arms or legs

You must contact the hospital where the surgery was performed or any other
emergency service available.

Robotic Laparoscopy surgery

With the help of the advanced in the medical equipment robots have entered the field.

During a robotic laparoscopic surgery the surgeon has a console under his control. The
console controls the robotic surgical arms which does the surgery on console’s
command which is controlled by the surgeon.

The robotics arms too have a more powerful camera and surgical equipment. The powerful
camera provides a more magnified 3D vision and a larger range for the surgical arm
inside the body.

The arms also brings precision and helps the surgeon in carrying out complex surgical
procedures. Gradually the use of robotic surgery is increasing in the countries like America,
United Kingdom and India.

The precision also makes sure lower chance of complications than regular laparoscopy or
open surgery.