Laparoscopy
and
Laparoscopic
Gastric Bypass
What is it?
Laparoscopy
(pronounced
like lap-a-ross-cop-ee)
or laparoscopic surgery, is also known as "minimally invasive
surgery". It is an
alternative to traditional "open" surgery in which a large incision is
made.
For some
operations, our surgeons are able to do it laparoscopically, using very small
incisions that are only about an inch long.
These small
incisions create a passageway for a laparoscope and special laparoscopic
instruments.
A laparoscope is
a fiber optic instrument with a lens that is inserted into the abdominal cavity.
A small camera is attached to it that transmits images from within the body to a
video monitor, allowing the surgeon to perform surgical procedures using special
laparoscopic instruments.
These special
laparoscopic instruments, such as hemostats, scissors and forceps, are the same
as the instruments used for open procedures but, designed to pass through small
incisions.
 
Advantages of the
laparoscopic approach include:
|
|
Shorter
hospital stay
Faster recovery
Reduced rate of
infection
|
.
Quicker return
to normal activities
Ability to
return to work sooner
Reduced hernia
rate
|
|
Some of the
procedures that can be performed laparoscopically are:
|
|
Diagnostic
Exploratory Laparoscopy
Gall Bladder
Surgery
Appendectomy
Gastric Bypass
Gastric Banding
|
.
Inguinal,
Ventral and Incisional Hernia Repair
Tubal Ligation
Heart Burn
Surgery (Lap Nissen)
Gastric
Resection
Bowel Resection
|
|
Keep in mind,
not all patients are candidates for laparoscopic surgery and sometimes
laparoscopic surgery is not the best choice for all patients.
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