When we think of surgery, most of us are afraid, right? Things like a large incision, a long hospital stay, months of recovery, and a large scar come to mind. However, in this era of advanced medical science, not all surgeries require large incisions. Today, we are going to talk about a special surgical procedure that can be performed through a small incision or hole and allows for a quick recovery.
What is this 'minimally invasive surgery'?
Simply put, this involves performing surgery through one or more very small incisions, rather than making a large incision. Imagine, sometimes the size of this incision is not even the size of our five rupee coin. Due to this, the damage to healthy tissue is very minimal. Also, bleeding during the surgery is very minimal.
These surgical procedures are especially used for diseases related to our urinary system. That is, for problems with organs such as the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. Not only that, this method is also used for some diseases of the reproductive system of women and men. These are performed by doctors who specialize in the urinary and reproductive system (Urologists).
What are the different methods of performing this surgery?
Doctors use various modern techniques to perform these surgeries. Let's take a look at a few of them.
Laparoscopic method
This is a very popular method. What happens here is that a thin tube with a camera (laparoscope) is passed through a small incision into the body. The images from this camera can be magnified and viewed on a screen. This allows the doctor to see the organs inside the body clearly. The delicate instruments needed for the surgery are inserted through other small incisions and the surgery is performed.
Using robotics
This is another advanced method. Here, instead of the doctor directly performing the surgery, a robotic arm is controlled by a computer system. These robotic arms can move very delicately, much better than a human arm. Also, the special three-dimensional (3D) camera used for this allows the inside of the body to be seen very clearly. This allows even very complex surgeries to be performed very accurately.
Endoscopic method
This method does not make any incisions in the body. Imagine, a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) equipped with a camera and surgical instruments can be passed through our urethra to the bladder, ureters, and kidneys. In this way, stones and small tumors can be removed without cutting the body.
Other methods
In some cases, especially for kidney stones, high-energy shock waves are directed from outside the body to break up the stones. This is called `(Shock Wave Lithotripsy)`. There are also cases where lasers are used.
What conditions are treated with these methods?
These modern surgical techniques treat a wide range of diseases. For example:
- Kidney stones
- Kidney cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
- Kidney cysts
- Pelvic organ prolapse in women
- Undescended testicles in boys
- Testicular torsion
- Chronic kidney disease
The difference between traditional surgery and this modern surgery
See the table below to understand this difference.
| Feature | Minimally Invasive Surgery | Open Surgery |
|---|---|---|
| Size of the incision | Several very small (about 1-2 cm) holes. | A large, long cut (3-12 inches or more). |
| Bleeding | Very low. | Relatively high. |
| Time spent in the hospital | Short period of time (often 1-3 days). | Longer term (several days or weeks). |
| Recovery time | Fast (typical turnaround within 1-2 weeks). | It takes time (6-8 weeks or more). |
| Pain | There is less pain after surgery. | The pain is too much after the surgery. |
| Scars | Very small, barely noticeable scars. | A large, clearly visible scar. |
What are the benefits and risks of these surgeries?
Now that you have a good idea about the benefits, let's look at them one by one.
- Having less bleeding .
- Shorter hospital stay.
- Reduced risk of infection.
- Less pain and less need for painkillers during recovery.
- Being able to recover very quickly .
- The scars left on the body are very small .
- High success rate of surgeries.
As with all surgeries, these procedures carry some common risks, such as risks from anesthesia, infection, and damage to surrounding organs. However, the incidence of these is lower than with open surgery.
It is very important to clearly understand the risks associated with the specific surgery you are going to have from your doctor .
When to talk to the doctor after surgery
When you go home after surgery, you should immediately notify your doctor if you develop any unusual symptoms. Be especially aware of the following:
- Signs of infection, such as fever or chills .
- Persistent nausea and vomiting .
- Heavy bleeding from cuts.
- If there is increasing swelling, pain, or pus around the wound.
- If you have severe pain that cannot be controlled even with the painkillers prescribed by the doctor.
In such a situation, it is important to seek immediate treatment at the hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU).
Take-Home Message
- Minimally Invasive Surgery is a modern surgical technique performed through small incisions, without large incisions.
- This results in less pain, less hospital stay, faster recovery, and less scarring.
- This method is very effective for many urinary system diseases, such as kidney stones, cancer, and prostate problems.
- Only your specialist can decide whether this surgical procedure is right for you.
- If you have been scheduled for any surgery, don't be afraid to talk to your doctor about these procedures and ask any questions you may have.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න