Laparscopic Urologic Surgery
- Benign, malignant and reconstructive procedures
- Kidney Stone Disease – Treatment and techniques including treatment by Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
What is Laparscopic Surgery?
Laparoscopy is a technique for operating inside your abdomen through small incisions. Small incisions help you recover faster after surgery, with less pain. A slender, lighted wand-like tool called a laparoscope is used. It connects to a tiny camera, which sends pictures to a video screen. Other slender tools are used to perform the surgery. Many urinary tract conditions can be treated with laparoscopy. These include conditions of the kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder, testicles, and prostate.
How is it performed?
During the procedure an IV line gives you fluids and medications while a tube (catheter) drains your bladder. The laparoscope and surgical instruments are placed through three to five small incisions that are made in your abdomen. Your surgeon sees and operates by watching pictures from the laparoscope on a video screen.
What advantages does Laparoscopy offer?
Laparoscopy, which has been shown to be as effective as conventional procedures, offers many advantages:
- Shorter hospital stay
- Less post-operative pain and pain medication
- Less blood loss and transfusions
- Less scarring
- Fewer postoperative complications than open surgery including fewer post operative infections
Faster recovery of our patients. For instance, 97% of laparoscopic prostatectomy patients go home the morning after surgery. By comparison, time in the hospital for patients treated with open radical prostatectomy is two to four days
- Quicker return to normal daily activities
- Most patients return to work two to four weeks after the procedure and resume exercising or golf in 3-4 weeks. Recovery time for patients treated with radical open prostatectomy is six to eight weeks.
- The catheter that drains the bladder is removed after seven days in robotic laparoscopic prostate surgeries. In open radical prostatectomies, the catheter is removed after two to three weeks
- Covered by almost all insurance
- Costs the same as traditional open surgery
