Laparoscopic is the surgical procedure of removal of the gall bladder through a tube and high-resolution camera, performed by Laparoscopic Surgeon in Lahore is called laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This is one of the commonest procedures performed on the surgical floor and carries a small risk of complications. Read on to know more about laparoscopic cholecystectomy and why this surgery is performed:

What is laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the procedure of removal of the gall bladder through minimally invasive surgery. The gall bladder is a small organ located in the upper abdomen, covered by the liver, which stores bile. This bile helps in the digestion of food—particularly fat.

In some cases, there is stasis of bile, and hard stones form in the gall bladder—called gall stones. These stones can cause health problems if they form at the neck of the bladder, and block the outflow of bile. There is subsequent pain, inflammation, and infection of the gall bladder, which is called cholecystitis.

Gall stones are common in women, people over the age of 40 years, and overweight individuals. They commonly present with: indigestion, fever, abdominal pain, jaundice, nausea, and vomiting.

Why is laparoscopic cholecystectomy done?

The idea behind performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy is to remove the gall bladder so there is no recurrence of cholecystitis. Gallstones rarely go away on their own, which is why the treatment of choice is cholecystectomy. Without the surgery, there is a risk of recurrence of gall stones, with worsened inflammation and adhesions formation. Rarely, the gall stones can lead to rupture of the gall bladder, which is a life-threatening condition.

In untreated cases, there is a risk of cancer of the gall bladder, as well. Alternatively, these gall stones can travel out of the gall bladder to block the pathway of pancreatic juices, causing inflammation of the pancreas—which is the very painful condition of pancreatitis.

What are the risks of laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

As with any surgery, there are some risks. In the intra-operative setting, the risks are:

• Bile leakage
• Complications from anesthesia
• Bleeding
• Injury to the nearby organs
• Inflammation of the abdominal cavity—peritonitis
• Urinary tract infection

In the postoperative setting, the following symptoms herald a serious problem:

• High-grade fever with chills
• Bleeding, swelling, and redness at the incision site
• Constipation or no bowel movement for at least three days
• Vomiting
• Yellowness of skin
• Vomiting
• Cramps or severe pain in the abdomen

How is the procedure performed?

The whole procedure of laparoscopic cholecystectomy takes a couple of hours to perform. The surgery starts with small incisions on the abdomen for the insertion of equipment and the scope. Thereafter, the abdomen is pumped with carbon dioxide so the surgeon can visualize the surgical field clearly.

With special tools, the surgeon then cuts the gall bladder, ties it off, and removes it from the body. The surgical team then closes the incision and dresses the wound.

What are the benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Whether or not laparoscopic cholecystectomy is right for you, will be the choice of your healthcare provider. However, there are numerous benefits of going for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison to open cholecystectomy. These include:

• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is less painful than the open procedure as the incisions are smaller.
• Consequently, the recovery time and hospital stay time are smaller for these patients.
• This surgery carries less risk than the open procedure.
• The wounds and scars are smaller in this procedure.
• There is a lesser need for post-operative painkillers

What is the recovery time for patients?

The patient outlook post laparoscopic cholecystectomy is very good. The recovery time varies from patient to patient, but in general, people are able to eat normally in a day or so, and even drive around after a couple of days. For a return to work or daily activities, surgeons like Laparoscopic surgeons in Karachi recommend a week of rest. Until an all-clear from the healthcare provider, activities like lifting heavy objects should be avoided.