Laparoscopic surgery
The first laparoscopic procedure was performed by German surgeon Georg Kelling in 1901.
Laparoscopic surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery (MIS), is a modern surgical technique, performed in the abdomen or pelvis using small incisions (usually 0.5–1.5 cm) with the aid of a camera.
The laparoscope aids diagnosis or therapeutic interventions with a few small cuts in the abdomen.
There are a number of advantages to the patient with laparoscopic surgery versus an exploratory laparotomy, These include reduced pain due to smaller incisions, reduced hemorrhaging and shorter recovery time.
The key element is the use of a laparoscope, a long fiber optic cable system that allows viewing of the affected area by snaking the cable from a more distant, but more easily accessible location.
Specific surgical instruments used in a laparoscopic surgery include forceps, scissors, probes, dissectors, hooks, and retractors.
Laparoscopic surgery includes operations within the abdominal or pelvic cavities such as:
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Hiatal hernia repair
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GERD
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Achalasia
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Cholecystectomy
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Appendectomy
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Adrenal gland
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Hernia
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Gastrectomy
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Colectomy
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Ovarian cyst
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Hysterectomy