Scared of the word surgery and everything else it entails scalpels and blood,post-operative pain and the long recovery period at the hospital? Medical innovation and the use of laparoscopes now mean that these could be fears of the past. With laparoscopic surgeries,all that is needed is a minimal keyhole incision,through which scopes are extended into the body to complete the surgical procedure. This means a relatively bloodless surgery,entry into intricate spaces,minimal handling of surrounding organs and magnification of the anatomy. The evolution of laparoscopic technologies has gone even further from 3-chip to HD to robotic and now,3D systems. Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar,chief IVF consultant and the head of department of gynaecology and obstetrics at Ruby Hall Clinic,performed the first 3D laparoscopic hysterectomy on a patient from Nanded. She says the hospital is also in the process of installing a 3D operating system,which will offer several advantages over the conventional 2D scope,by enhancing the surgeons depth of perception and making even the most difficult procedures seem simpler. According to her,laparoscopic surgery lives up to the saying less is more. For instance,a laparoscopic hysterectomy (removal of uterus) requires only three to four small cuts of 5mm each,compared to an abdominal hysterectomy,which is done through larger cuts, she says. The scope also has easier access to deeper vascular spaces,which makes procedures such as specialised urogynaecological surgeries for stress incontinence (leaking of urine while coughing,laughing or sneezing) simpler. Even post-operative discomfort is reduced,with less blood loss and pain,less scarring and early ambulation or return to activity. The patients can even maintain their regular diet without catherisation or intravenous fluids,and go back home within 24-48 hours of the surgery, says Dr Tandulwadkar.
