LAPAROSCOPY OR LAPAROSCOPIC CYSTECTOMY: The Latest Option

Laparoscopy is a surgery to remove ovarian cysts. Most of the ovarian cysts, when they grow more than 2.5 cm, are recommended for removal. The large size makes it difficult for the ovary to function efficiently and the risk of possible rupture will causes further problems to the women such as pain and bleeding.

Laparoscopic cystectomy involves removing the ovarian cysts without opening the abdomen, opposite to that of laparotomy. The preparation before the surgery is the same though. The patient will be subjected to several blood tests making sure that no bleeding problems will be present during the operation. A checklist of possible allergies will be made to the patients to make sure that the drugs given will not predispose her to harm.

Laparoscopy involves only making 3 small incisions on the abdomen. The surgery is done using laparoscope  to get inside the abdomen and a monitor to view the whole internal abdomen. The patient will be placed on general anesthesia in this procedure, letting her sleep all the time.

The procedure is done initially making a small incision hole on the abdomen.  This incision hole will be used to insert first the probe to inflate the whole abdomen with Carbon dioxide. This will enable the surgeon to see the whole abdomen. The next 2 incisions will be for the scissor and clamp small enough to pass through the incision hole. The cyst is then located and gradually detached from the ovary wall by cutting through the scissors which at the same time can be a cautery pen to serve the same purpose. If the cyst has been detached, it will be placed in a small bag which will be lifted out of the abdomen through the incision hole. Once the cyst is out of the abdomen, the incisions will be closed though suturing.

The patient will be sent to the post anesthesia unit for monitoring bleeding, fever and pain. Since the surgery involves only small incision holes, recovery will be faster which will ranged around 2-3 weeks.

Laparoscopy, less stressful it may sound, has also its limitations. It can only be done when the size of the ovarian cyst is not than 10cmn in diameter due to the size of the incision holes. Women who wish to take this as an option should make sure that proper ultrasound has been done and consultation has been sought. Laparoscopy is said to be a better choice because it is less invasive to the patient.