The laparoscope is a small video camera inserted through a small incision in the abdominal wall. This allows the surgeon to see inside the abdomen on a video monitor. Laparoscopy surgery can be done using standard laparoscopic equipment. Guide wires and catheters may also be used during laparoscopy surgery. These thin tubes help the surgeon navigate the abdominal cavity and organs.

 The laparoscopy procedure requires several small incisions in the abdominal area. A laparoscope, a long, thin tube with a light and camera on end, is inserted through one of these incisions. The laparoscope transmits images of the inside of your abdomen to a video screen, where your surgeon can see them. Other ports that we make through 2 or more incisions on the abdomen are used as the surgeon’s hands through which he performs the surgery using various equipment.

Laparoscopic surgery is often used to treat digestive system conditions like gallstones, inflamed appendix, abdominal wall hernias, hiatus hernias, and weight loss surgeries. The recovery from laparoscopic surgery is typically quicker and less painful than traditional open surgery, with most people being able to return home the same day or the next day. All keyholes are closed using absorbable stitches covered with a water-proof dressing so that the patient does not experience any discomfort. 

Most of the laparoscopic procedures performed are done as daycare cases, where the patient leaves the hospital the same day, pain-free.

Following your surgeon’s instructions for care after laparoscopic surgery is important. Your surgeon will allow you to resume daily activities based on the treated condition. For example, if you underwent a hernia procedure via placing a mesh, you need to avoid ensuring a quick and successful recovery.

You are kept under observation post-anesthesia till you are completely awake in the recovery room. After the doctor assesses your stability and alertness, you are moved to the hospital room. You may be allowed to go home after a few hours if it is an outpatient procedure. It is best to have someone assist you as no stress should be induced after the procedure.

 Mobilization is one of the tools for quick recovery. The doctor will prescribe you some oral pills, including antibiotics and painkillers, as needed to be safely taken at home.

A laparoscopic surgical procedure doesn’t have any dietary restrictions. You can consume light yet solid foods and continue with the same after the process.

Laparoscopic bariatric surgery will have dietary restrictions. You will be asked to be on a clear fluids diet for four weeks or as suggested by the surgeon. You can move to a solid diet, but only as instructed by the doctor. All the dietary instructions in case of bariatric surgery are planned and discussed with the patient well in advance. This allows you to better prepare for the procedure and the recovery both.

Most of the time, we address high-risk patients who are consulting for a bariatric procedure, wherein we involve our cardiologist, physician, and anesthetist to evaluate them for the particular risk, and they are taken up for surgery after the clearance of all the doctors treating them.