India, the land of Shushruta has been a pioneer in Surgery since centuries.
Laparoscopic Surgery, though around for about 40 years has taken a jump since last fifteen years or so. With gallstones rampant among people of India it has come as a boon to these patients. Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy combined with ERCP has revolutionized the treatment of patients with gall bladder stones. Laparoscopic surgery is popular among people as microsurgery of the gall bladder. Actually it is not microsurgery but a method by which small holes are made in the abdomen just like hole of a key. Instead of key we introduce instruments here to reach in the abdomen in the peritoneal space. This is appropriately called Keyhole surgery, particularly in the western countries. Peritoneal space is a space normally like a collapsed balloon. First thing we do is to introduce gas in the peritoneum to create a cavity like a balloon with air. We utilize this space to see clearly the organ we want to visualize and do necessary manipulations to be able to remove or repair the organ. There is a range of ever increasing number of specialized instruments available to enable surgeons to perform these tasks accurately and efficiently. To be able to do the
Laparoscopic Surgery Surgeons undergo training, as you need good hand eye coordination. Hand eye coordination means Surgeon actually look at the screen and operates on the abdomen.
COST: Cost of laparoscopic surgery is no higher than open surgery as sight increased cost of instruments is offset by reduced hospital stay and early return to work. For patients it is less pain, less hospital stay and for hospital it can produce faster turnover of patients. Faster turn over of patients is very important issue in a developing country like India where limited resources and a huge population prompt us to adopt strategies that can help us to be able to provide quality health care to as many people as possible.
Laparoscopic Surgery is no more risky than conventional open surgery. In fact all the research has shown that it has less complications compared to open surgery. As a result of less cutting and less pain patients can start walking early and this in itself reduces complications by bringing the body back to its normal routine. Further more as there is less handling of intestines they start working early, thus reducing vomiting. Patients can start eating early. Day case laparoscopic Surgery has been tried in many centers in America and some centres in other western countries like France and UK. Surgeons and researchers have been encouraged by response and many suitable cases have been tried.
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