As early as 1910, the first laparoscopy was performed on a human being. It can be used, for example, to assess the liver, spleen, stomach, the large and small mesh – which is the connective tissue in the abdomen – the female internal genital organs, and the small and large intestines directly without a large skin incision or major open surgical access. Later, after World War II, this method was increasingly used and further developed in gynecology. However, it was not until the late 1980s that laparoscopy was taken up by surgeons and initially used for gallbladder operations. The success of this treatment has been tremendous worldwide and is now used worldwide.
Advantages of laparoscopy
The major advantage of laparoscopy is that it causes little discomfort to patients. In contrast to the so-called laparotomy, the open surgical operation, only two to three small skin incisions or accesses into the abdominal cavity are opened, which are only about 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters long. During the examination, a tissue sample can be taken.
In the event of a pathological finding, direct intervention, i.e. immediate endoscopic surgery, can be performed during laparoscopy. In addition to appendectomies, these diseases are operated on with the help of laparoscopy:
- Gall bladder removal (cholecystectomy).
- Operations for reflux disease (heartburn).
- Inguinal and incisional hernia operations
- Operations for gastric diseases (tumors, ulcers).
- Operations for diseases of the small and large intestine (diverticulitis, benign and malignant tumors, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis).
- Weight loss surgeries (gastric bypass surgery, gastric banding – an adjustable silicone gastric band).
- Removal of the adrenal glands
- Removal of the spleen
- Procedures in the area of the chest
Due to the very small surgical access, postoperative pain is significantly reduced, wound healing times and inpatient stay are shortened and better cosmetic results are achieved. Overall, patients feel less impaired after such procedures and can return home more quickly. Adhesions in the abdominal cavity, which can impair bowel function, for example, occur less frequently than in conventional operations. Bowel function returns sooner than after conventional surgery.
