What is Minimal access Surgery?
Minimal access Surgery is an established advanced technique for doing all types of surgical procedures. This technique is also known as 'Keyhole Surgery' or Laparoscopic Surgery. A thin telescope known as laparoscope is inserted through small incisions. The laparoscope is connected to a tiny video camera which projects the inside view of patient's body to a high resolution monitors in the operating room.
Small surgical instruments are then passed through one or more additional 3-5mm incisions, through which the surgery is done. These incisions are usually covered with surgical glue and after a few weeks are scarcely visible thus avoiding any follow up visit for suture removal..
What are the Advantages of Minimal Access Surgery?
The major advantages of this technique over conventional open surgery are:
Minimal access Surgery by improving vision and providing magnification up to 20 times makes surgery more precise and accurate with minimal collateral damage. This provides faster recovery and minimal complication after surgery.
In Minimal access Surgery a small hole is made through the abdominal muscles to permit access to the abdominal cavity by the surgeon. This leads to minimal tissue damage and less pain. In a conventional surgery, all the muscles are cut to gain the access.
The operative scar in Minimal access Surgery consists of one or more small scars measuring up to 0.5-1.5 cm versus a single large long scar of conventional surgery
How do I benefit from Minimal Access Surgery?
There are numerous benefits of MAS, vis-à-vis open surgery:
Quicker and accurate diagnosis
Faster recovery with shorter hospital stay
Minimal tissue damage, hence less pain
Minimal post-operative infections
Minimal scarring.
Can all patients with surgical problems benefit from this technique?
MAS may not be indicated for a few selected patients. Each patient is evaluated individually and advised accordingly. You should educate yourself about all the surgical options available to you and discuss these options with your surgeon and then rely on him to choose the best option for you.
When is MAS mostly used?
Removal of Gall bladder for Gall Stone disease.
All type of Hernia (Inguinal, umbilical, Incision, Hiatus hernia etc)
Removal of appendix
All colorectal diseases and tumours/ Cancer
Surgeries for Oesophagus and Stomach
Weight loss/Metabolic surgeries
Liver, Bile duct and Pancreatic surgeries
Endocrine Surgery: Adrenal Gland, Parathyroid gland surgery
Surgery for Abdominal Trauma
And many of procedures have been already described above.
When can I get back to work?
You are usually allowed to go home the same day (Ambulatory Surgical Services) or next day, except in cases of more advanced procedures that may require three or four days of hospital stay. You can get back to routine activities in 3 days and to work in 5 days
What are the benefits of MAS?
Minimal Access surgery produces less operative trauma to the patient than an equivalent procedure, done by the traditional methods.
Surgery is done more accurately as about 15-20 times enlarged view of internal organs/blood vessels and tissues is obtained. As MAS involves use of special long instruments, the organs/parts which are otherwise difficult to reach in open surgery, can be easily operated upon, using small cuts and with greater precision. Less post-operative pain. The total dose of post-operative medication is reduced.
Early mobility & speedy recovery, results in early resumption of work.
Hospitalization time is shorter.
Reduced incidence of post-surgical complications, such as wound infection
Less chance of adhesion formation, a common sequel of open surgery.
Reduced or almost negligible possibility of hernia in operative scars.
Incisions being very small, there are fine scars, which are hardly visible after few months of surgery.
Are there any risks with MAS?
Like any other surgical intervention, Minimal Access procedures also carry some risk, but the incidence is very low in expert hands. Risks and complications include the following:
Anaesthetic complications
Bleeding
Infection
Injury to the internal organs or blood vessels
Vein or lung blood clotting.
Most of these risks are present also in open surgery.
How long do I need to rest after MAS?
Most of the surgeries are done on a day-care basis. Less pain leads to early mobility. Light work can be started within 1-2 days of surgery. Full activity can be resumed within 5-7 days.
List of Services and surgery
Basic Surgery
Laparoscopic Appendicectomy
Laparoscopic Cholesystectomy
Laparoscopic Hernioplasty – Ventral / Inguinal
Diagnostic Laparoscopy
Diagnostic Retroperitoneoscopy and Biopsy
Laparoscopic Spleenectomy
Excision of Meckle's Deverticulum
Advanced Surgery
Cholecystectomy with CBD Explorations
Closure of Bowel perforations
Fundoplication for gastro-esophageal reflux disease
Gastojejunostomy/Feeding Gastrostomy
Surgery for Pancreatic tumors/ Whipple's procedure
Drainage procedures for Pseudo pancreatic Cyst
All Colo-Rectal Surgeries-
Partial/Total colectomy for Ulcerative colitis/All Colon/Rectal Cancers
Rectopexy- For Rectal Prolapse
Repair of Diaphragm/ Diaphragmatic Hernias
Rare Hernia Repair
Bariatric Surgery/Weight Loss Surgery
Sleeve Gastrectomy
Lap Gastric Banding
Biliopancreatic diversion
Duodenal Switch