Laparoscopic GI Surgery
Keyhole surgery reaches the same organs through incisions of a centimetre or less, using a camera and long instruments. For the patient that means less pain, a shorter stay and a faster return to work. For the surgeon it means a magnified view of exactly what they are operating on.
- Incisions of about a centimetre
- Most patients home within a day or two
- Less pain and much smaller scars
- High-definition laparoscopic systems
Stay
1 to 3 days
Duration
45 minutes to 2 hours
Anaesthesia
General
About Laparoscopic GI Surgery
Laparoscopic surgery is now the standard approach for gallbladder disease, appendicitis, many hernias and a good deal of intestinal work. The camera gives a magnified view that is often better than the naked eye, and the small incisions mean far less wound pain and a much lower rate of wound infection. It is not right for every case, and converting to open surgery when the anatomy demands it is a safety decision rather than a failure.
- Now the standard approach for most digestive surgery
- The camera gives a magnified view of the anatomy
- Wound infection is much less common than with open surgery
- Conversion to open surgery is a safety decision, discussed beforehand
Before you read on
Everything here is general information about laparoscopic gi surgery. Whether it suits you, and how it would be done in your case, is a decision for your doctor after examining you.
Your consultant's instructions always take precedence over anything written on this page.
When is it recommended?
Situations in which a doctor may suggest laparoscopic gi surgery.
- Gallstones causing pain or inflammation
- Appendicitis
- Hernias of the abdominal wall and groin
- Intestinal disease needing resection
- Adhesions causing pain or obstruction
- Diagnostic uncertainty inside the abdomen
Procedure details
The usual sequence, from first consultation through to follow-up.
Anaesthesia and access
Under general anaesthesia, three or four small incisions are made and the abdomen gently inflated with gas to create working space.
The camera view
A camera is inserted through one incision, giving a magnified view on screen, with instruments through the others.
The operation
The diseased organ or segment is dealt with through these small openings, and removed through one of them where necessary.
Closing and recovery
The gas is released, the small incisions closed with a stitch or glue, and you wake in recovery. Most people are up the same evening.
How to prepare
What to sort out before you come in.
- Fasting from midnight, or as instructed for an afternoon list
- Blood tests, imaging and an anaesthetic review beforehand
- Declare blood thinners, diabetes medication and previous abdominal surgery
- Shower on the morning of surgery and do not apply cream to the abdomen
- Arrange somebody to take you home and help for a few days
Recovery
What to expect afterwards, and roughly when.
- Most people go home within one to two days
- Shoulder tip pain from the gas is common for a day or two and settles
- Return to desk work in about a week, physical work in three to four
- Keep the small wounds dry for a few days, then normal showering is fine
- Report fever, increasing pain, or redness around a wound
Why choose Humayun for laparoscopic GI surgery
Keyhole surgery is better when the team does enough of them, and honest when they say a case does not suit it.
- A team that operates laparoscopically as routine rather than occasionally
- Honest assessment of when open surgery is the safer choice, explained before you consent
- Day-care and short-stay pathways for the common procedures
- Endoscopy in the same department, so the diagnosis is settled before the decision to operate
Your Health Matters
Take the next step towards better healthcare.
Connect with our experienced specialists and find the right care for you and your family.
More in Surgical Gastroenterology
Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal
Keyhole removal of the gallbladder, the usual treatment for symptomatic gallstones.
Hernia Repair
Repairing a weakness in the abdominal wall, by keyhole or open surgery depending on the hernia.
Colorectal Surgery
Surgery for the colon and rectum, from day-care treatment of piles and fissures to bowel resection.
Abdominal Surgery
Planned and emergency operations inside the abdomen, from obstruction and perforation to removal of diseased organs.
Abdominal Wall Reconstruction
Repair of large or recurrent hernias where the abdominal wall itself has to be rebuilt, not simply patched.