| Exploratory
surgery is performed solely for diagnostic purposes,
without the intent of treating disease. It can be
used to look for things which are not showing up with
other diagnostic techniques, such as suspected cancers
which cannot be identified in medical imaging studies.
This surgery allows your physician to look directly
at the contents of your abdomen or pelvis, including
the fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, small bowel,
large bowel, appendix, liver, and gallbladder.
The
surgeons at Surgical Specialists utilize exploratory
surgery via a minimally invasive (laparoscopic) approach,
meaning a shorter recovery time, less pain, reduced
physical stress and a decreased chance of complications
or infection.
Why
the Test is Performed
The examination helps identify the cause of pain in
the abdomen and pelvic area. It may detect the following
conditions:
- Abdominal
trauma following an accident
- Appendicitis-Inflammation
of the appendi
-
Cancer
- Cholecystitis-Inflammation
of the gallbladder
-
Ectopic pregnancy-When the fertilized egg develops
outside of the uterus
-
Endometriosis-tissues normally found in the uterus
growing in other areas
-
Pelvic inflammatory disease-Inflammation in the
pelvic cavity
How
the Test is Performed
The procedure is usually done in the hospital or outpatient
surgical center under general anesthesia, meaning
the patient is unconscious and pain-free. However,
this procedure may also be done using local anesthesia,
meaning only the area affected by the surgery is numbed
and allows you to stay awake.
A
surgeon makes a small incision below the belly button
(navel) and inserts a needle into the area. Carbon
dioxide gas is passed into the area to help move the
abdominal wall and any organs out of the way, creating
a larger space to work in. This helps the surgeon
see the area better.
A
tube is placed through the incision in your belly
area. A tiny video camera goes thru this tube and
is used to see the inside of your body. Next, a laparoscope
is passed into the area so they doctor can see the
pelvis and abdomen. Additional small cuts may be made
if other instruments are needed to get a better view
of certain organs.
After
the exam, the laparoscope and instruments are removed,
and the incisions are closed. You will have bandages
over those areas.
How
the Test Will Feel
If you are under general anesthesia, you will feel
no pain during the procedure, although the incisions
may throb and be slightly painful afterward. A pain
reliever may be given by your physician.
With
local anesthesia, you may feel a prick and a burning
sensation when the local anesthetic is given. Pain
may occur at the incision site. The laparoscope may
cause pressure, but there should be no pain during
the procedure. Afterward, the incision site may throb
for several hours and may be slightly painful. A pain
reliever may be given by your physician.
Additionally,
you may experience shoulder pain for a few days, because
the carbon dioxide can irritate the diaphragm, which
shares some of the same nerves as the shoulder. You
may also experience an increased urge to urinate,
since the gas can put pressure on the bladder.
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