Laparscopic Surgery: Advantages & Disadvantages

Last Updated: Nov. 1, 2003

Using a laparoscope, a tiny telescope that allows the surgeon to see inside the body, enables surgical procedures to be done with specially designed instruments that are inserted through small incisions.

Advantages
Since the overall trauma to the skin and muscles is reduced, less post-operative pain and disability, a shorter hospital stay, and a quicker recovery period are major advantages that laparoscopic surgery offers when compared to traditional operations.

Another advantage is a reduced infection rate. This is because delicate tissues are not exposed to the air of the operating room over long periods of time. Video magnification also offers surgeons better exposure of the diseased organ and its surrounding vessels and nerves. As a result, delicate maneuvers can be performed to protect these structures during the surgery.

Disadvantages
The disadvantages of laparoscopy include the expensive equipment involved in performing it. Not all hospital operating rooms can afford to offer it because of cost containment.

The other major issue is the need for surgeons to take special training in performing the many operations that are available by this means.

The need for additional training is because laparoscopic surgeons leave the familiar territory of a three-dimensional operating field to working on a two-dimensional flat video display. The shift is a critical one, and requires some degree of practice moving around long laparoscopic instruments while handling delicate tissues. Despite these temporary disadvantages, with the proper training, surgeons are able to adapt to this means of operating.

Finally, laparoscopy cannot always be performed on everyone. Some patients with many prior operations may have so much scar tissue within the body that a safe operation cannot be done.

In time, what disadvantages exist may be overcome with continued laparoscopic research and development.

Source: The Society of Laparscopic Surgeons

We Have Answers Do you have medical questions or need help finding a doctor? The experts at Columbia St. Mary's and Advanced Healthcare can help. Click here.