Laparoscopic surgery for digestive problems

Although many digestive problems can be successfully treated with lifestyle changes or medications, some diseases may require laparoscopic surgery.

Surgery Laparoscopic

Laparoscopic surgery and assisted minimally invasive surgery (NOTES) is used in the procedures commonly used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Unlike traditional surgery in the colon or other parts of the intestine where it requires a long incision in the middle of the abdomen, laparoscopic surgery requires only small incisions in the abdomen emtre 7 and 10 cm to allow access of the hand the surgeon to the abdominal organs. As a result, the person during the procedure may experience less pain and faster healing after surgery and a quicker recovery.

Laparoscopic surgery is used to treat conditions such as:

• Crohn's Disease
• Colorectal Cancer
• Diverticulitis .
• Familial polyposis, a condition that causes multiple colon polyps
• Bowel incontinence
• Rectal prolapse, protrusion of the rectum through the anus.
• Ulcerative colitis
• Colon polyps that are too large to remove by colonoscopy
• Severe chronic constipation with no improvement after medication

How is laparoscopic surgery?

For laparoscopic surgery, made three or more small (5-10 mm) incisions in the abdomen to allow access ports to be the poet which are inserted the laparoscope and surgical instruments. Then the surgeon uses a laparoscope, which transmits an image of the abdominal organs on a video monitor, allowing the operation.

Laparoscopic bowel surgery can be used to perform the following operations:

• Proctosigmoidectomía Surgical removal of diseased part of the rectum and sigmoid colon. Used to treat cancers and noncancerous tumors or polyps, and complications of diverticulitis
• Right colectomy or ileocolectomy. For right colectomy, the right side of the colon is removed. During a ileocolectomy, the last segment of small intestine - attached to the side of the colon, called the ileum, is also removed. This surgery is used to remove the cancer, noncancerous tumors, or polyps, and inflammation of Crohn's disease
• Total abdominal colectomy. Surgical removal of the large intestine, which is used to treat ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, familial polyposis and possibly constipation.
• Fecal diversion. Surgical creation of a temporary or permanent ileostomy (opening from the surface of the skin and small intestine) or colostomy (an opening between the surface of the skin and colon). The surgery is complex rectal and anal problems, including poor bowel control.
• Abdominoperineal resection. Surgical removal of the anus, rectum and sigmoid colon is used to remove cancer in the lower rectum or anus near the sphincter.
• Rectopexy. Procedure in which stitches are used to secure the rectum in its proper position in cases of rectal prolapse.
• Total proctocolectomy. This is the most extensive bowel operation and involves the removal of the rectum and colon. If the surgeon is able to put the year and is working properly, then they can sometimes leave an ileal pouch so you can go to the bathroom. An ileal pouch is a surgically created chamber and is formed by the lower small intestine (ileum). However, sometimes a permanent ileostomy (open between the surface of the skin and small intestine) is necessary especially if the year should be eliminated, weak, or has been damaged.

How do I prepare for laparoscopic surgery?

All patients will usually request a blood sample. Depending on your age and overall health, you can also request an ECG (electrocardiogram), chest radiography, pulmonary function tests or other tests. You may also need algna interconsultation with another doctor before surgery.

Finally, meet with an anesthesiologist who provide that type of (anesthesia for surgery will giving instructions to the time of operation.

The night before surgery you will have to take the medication prescribed laxative. It is important to follow the instructions carefully and follow all of this medicine. This step will reduce your risk of developing an infection of bacteria normally present in the intestine.

Do not eat or drink anything by mouth after midnight the night before surgery.

What happens the day of laparoscopic surgery?

An intravenous (IV) is inserted into a vein in your arm to administer medications and fluids before surgery. The patient will be taken to the operating room when available and ready.

Upon reaching the operating room, nurses help in the operating table. The anesthesiologist injected the anesthesia will sleep. When the patient is asleep, the nurses clean the abdomen with antibacterial soap and cover the whole area with sterile drapes.

The surgeon places a small port just below the belly button and advance through the abdominal cavity. This port is connected to a sterile tube and introducing carbon dioxide into the abdominal cavity. The gas lift the abdominal wall away from the remaining organs below. This space will give the surgeon a better view of the abdominal cavity once the laparoscope is in place.

The laparoscope is placed through the port and connects to a video camera. The image your surgeon sees in the laparoscope are projected onto video monitors placed near the operating table.

Before surgery, the surgeon will take a thorough look into the abdominal cavity to ensure that laparoscopy is inserted correctly. Some reasons why laparoscopy may be done include multiple adhesions (scar tissue from previous surgery) abdominal infection or other diseases.

If the surgeon decides that laparoscopic surgery can be safely performed through small incisions made pución additional
which will give the surgeon access to the abdominal cavity. The number and location of the incisions depends on the type of operation being
having. If necessary, one of the incisions can be extended to allow the surgeon to remove the section of bowel, or to create an anastomosis (connection) between two ends of the intestine.

If necessary, the surgeon begins removing part of the intestine by the closure of larger blood vessels serving
the affected section of the small or large intestine. Then separate the fatty tissue which keeps the intestine in place. Once the section of bowel is freed from its supporting structures can be removed.

The procedure sometimes requires the creation of a temporary or permanent stoma, a part of the small opening to the outer surface of the abdomen. The stoma acts as a conduit through which artificial feces (stool) can pass from the intestine to the outside of the body where it accumulates in an external pouch that is attached to the stoma and must be worn at all times.

Most often, the surgeon will connect the two ends of the intestine. The bowel can be rejoined in a number of ways. One method uses a stapling device that positions of staples to join the ends of the intestine. Alternatively, the surgeon can pull the ends through an intestinal small incisions and stitches (sutures) the ends. Surgeon will select the best method at the time of surgery. Finally, the surgeon will check that there is no bleeding, rinse the abdominal cavity, the release of gas in the abdomen and close the small incisions.

When the patient wakes up from surgery, will be in a recovery room. You will need an oxygen mask covering your nose and mouth. This mask delivers a cool mist of oxygen that helps eliminate the anesthetic rest of your system and soothes the throat. Your throat may be sore from the breathing tube that has provided air and anesthetic gases during operation, but this pain usually disappears after a day or two.

Once more awake, the nurse can change the oxygen delivery device to a nasal cannula, small plastic tube that connects over the ears and below the nose. Depending on the percentage of oxygen measured in the blood, it may be necessary to maintain the oxygen in place for a time. The nurse will check the amount of oxygen in the blood (oxygen saturation) by placing a soft clip on one of the fingers (pulse oximetry).

Pain medication during recovery

After the operation, nurses begin to document all the patient drinks liquids in addition to measuring and collecting urine or liquid causes, including tubes or drains placed during surgery.

The tube is passed from one nostril to the stomach (nasogastric tube) during surgery were removed in the recovery room, if not already removed. You can start drinking fluids the night of the operation and will resume a solid diet the next morning .. If nausea or vomiting, can be re inssertada the nasogastric tube. Do not be alarmed if this happens. Nausea and vomiting occur in about 5% or 10% of people and occur because the intestines are temporarily disabled during operation. In addition, anesthesia causes many people to have nausea. For this reason, food and drink are given slowly during the early days.

Are encouraged to lift the patient out of bed and walk, from the first day after the operation. The more it moves less chance of complications such as pneumonia or blood clots in the veins of your leg.

The duration of hospital stay depends on the type of procedure and the rapidity of recovery. For example, the average hospital stay varies from laparoscopic rectopexy 1 to 2 days and a laparoscopic bowel resection, 2 to 3 days.

Recovering at home after laparoscopic surgery

Are encouraged to steadily increase their activity once they are at home after laparoscopic surgery. Walking is great exercise! Walking will help general recovery by strengthening the muscles, keep the blood circulating to prevent blood clots, and help the lungs are clear.

If you are in shape and exercising regularly before the operation can resume exercise when you feel comfortable.
Only two things are not allowed to do for six weeks after this type of operation: lifting or pushing something over
15 pounds or do abdominal exercises.

Original English Source Medical Web