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Laparoscopic Surgery
Laparoscopic surgery is a state-of-the-art type of surgery that involves minimal wounds (minimally invasive choice of surgery) due to the type of surgery done by use of special instruments and a video camera (laparoscope) having very small dimensions inserted internally inside the abdomen/pelvis. The surgeon uses a few small cuts, usually of between 0.5 and 1.5 cm in length, through which the camera, as well as tools, passes. Carbon dioxide gas is pumped into the abdomen in order to give the surgeon room to see and operate. The method provides a considerable benefit as compared to open surgery, which involves a big incision.
Indications
The Impacts of Laparoscopic Surgery
- Less pain and scars: Patients experience far less post-operative pain compared to open surgery and have less noticeable scars due to much smaller incisions performed.
- Speedier Recovery: The minimisation of invasiveness, designated as the process, also implies less destruction of tissues, which results in a prompt recuperation. Patients are able to resume their normal life within a few weeks.
- Reduced Chance of Complications: Laparoscopy has been linked with reduced chances of infection, loss of blood and other complications as opposed to the traditional open surgery.
Gastroscopy
Gastroscopy, an upper endoscopy procedure, is a health examination procedure employed to look into the lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract that encompasses the oesophagus, the stomach, and the first section of the small bowel (duodenum). It requires the use of an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light at its tip. It is used by a gastroenterologist to observe the inside of the body through the mouth. The process is undertaken to diagnose and treat many ailments without any need to resort to conventional, more invasive surgical operations.
Indications
- Determining the cause of symptoms: Persistent symptoms of difficulty with swallowing, chronic heartburn or indigestion, or upper abdominal pain are often investigated by a gastroscopy to determine the cause, which may include gastritis, ulcers, or esophagitis.
- Bleeding: The presence of gastrointestinal bleeding can also be diagnosed by performing a gastroscopy when the patient has features of bleeding, e.g. vomiting of blood or passing stools that are black and tar-like.
- Screening and Surveillance: To screen patients with high risk of developing some conditions, e.g. Barrett's oesophagus (a precancerous condition), a gastroscopy can also be used to monitor cellular changes and detect cancer early.
Effects of Gastroscopy
- Precise Diagnosis: The procedure has a direct and high definition image of the upper GI tract, and as such, doctors are able to accurately diagnose inflammation, ulcers, tumours or other strange conditions that cannot be seen in other imaging tests.
- Therapeutic Intervention: The advantage of doing small surgical treatments is an important aspect. A physician is able to remove polyps, inhibit active bleeding by using heat or clips, dilate a constricted oesophagus, or perform biopsies to determine whether cancer or infection is present.
- Minimal Side Effects: There might be a sore throat during the procedure as well as a sense of bloating due to air utilised to puff the stomach, but overall, the procedure is well tolerated with a rapid recovery process and low chances of complications.
Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is an examination method in medicine that is applied to investigate the large bowel and the rectum. A colonoscope is a long, thin tube that has a camera and a light on the end; a doctor, usually a gastroenterologist, uses this to look at the whole of the colon. It is also an important procedure used to diagnose and prevent conditions that are found within the lower digestive tract. A clean view is guaranteed when the colon is clear, and this demands a diet and bowel preparation prior to the examination.
Indicators of a Colonoscopy
- Colorectal Cancer Screening: It serves as the screening gold standard for adults, particularly those above 45 years old, for whom colorectal cancer screening is required. The process is able to identify and get rid of precancerous growths known as polyps before they can even develop into cancer.
- Symptom Investigation: A colonoscopy is also conducted to check the cause of such symptoms as chronic abdominal pain, abnormal bowel patterns, bleeding through the rectum, or unexplained weight loss. It could assist in the diagnosis of disease, including inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), diverticulosis and other disorders of bleeding.
- Surveillance: A patient with polyps, a family history of colon cancer or diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease has a colonoscopy at a periodic or scheduled frequency to check for polyps recurrence or cancer.
Effects of Colonoscopy
- Cancer Prevention: Colorectal cancer can be prevented by finding and eliminating polyps in the colon, thus making a colonoscopy effective in preventing cancer. This forms one of the greatest advantages of the procedure.
- Correct Diagnosis: The procedure gives a direct and high-resolution clear view of the lining of the colon and hence a correct diagnosis of conditions over a wide range, from benign inflammation through to cancer.
- Therapeutic Intervention: A physician is allowed to carry out minor surgical procedures through a colonoscopy, like removal of polyps, treating bleeding or taking biopsies of suspicious tissue to be subjected to further examination.
ERCP
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a specific procedure involving an endoscope and X-ray together to treat and diagnose conditions of the bile duct and pancreatic duct. Dr. Gastroenterologist passes an endoscope- a flexible lighted tube with a colour camera- into the throat, stomach, and the first section of the small bowel. Thereafter, a catheter is inserted through the endoscope into the ducts. There is the injection of special contrast dye, and X-rays are taken wherever any block, strictures or other irregularities are present.
Indications
- Bile Duct and Pancreatic Duct Obstructions: The test is used to pinpoint and treat the obstructions that are caused by tumours, scar tissue, or gallstones. Such obstructions may result in serious stomach pains, jaundice, and other serious infections.
- Jaundice: In case of a patient with suspected bile duct obstruction that has resulted in yellowing of the skin and eyes (so-called jaundice), an ERCP is usually done to find the cause of the block and introduce a procedure to dissolve it.
- Diagnostic ERCP is performed to investigate Pancreatitis. ERCP is sometimes done in cases of recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis of an unknown cause to exclude possible etiologic factors such as small stones or structural anomalies of the pancreatic duct.
Effects of ERCP
- Lifting the Barriers: The doctor may use the surgery to remove gallstones, add a stent to enlarge a constricted duct, or complete a sphincterotomy in order to enlarge a hole. This brings immediate inflammation of the symptoms and subsequent complications.
- Precise Diagnosis: The combination of direct visual and X-ray imaging offers a very precise form of diagnosing conditions of the ducts. The physician is also able to take biopsies (tissue samples) of the body.
- Possible Complications: Although ERCP is mostly safe, perhaps the biggest impact to consider is the likelihood of developing complications, the most common being pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), which may happen to a minority of patients. Other risks present are infection or bleeding.