Surgical Care

Intraoperative Care

What are the different methods of surgery?

With technical advances today, surgery does not necessarily mean large incisions, as in the past. Depending on the type of surgery, there are several surgery methods that may be performed:

open surgery - an "open" surgery means the cutting of skin and tissues so that the surgeon has a full view of the structures or organs involved. Examples of open surgery are the removal of the organs, such as the gallbladder or kidneys.
minimally invasive surgery - minimally invasive surgery is any technique involved in surgery that does not require a large incision. This relatively new approach allows the patient to recuperate faster with less pain. Not all conditions are suitable for minimally invasive surgery. Many surgery techniques now fall under minimally invasive surgery:
- laparoscopy - laparoscopy is used in the examination of the abdominal cavity. The laparoscope, an illuminated tube with an optical system, is inserted through one or several small incisions in the abdominal wall. Using laparoscopy, surgeons can inspect a woman's ovaries and fallopian tubes and even perform gynecological sterilization, for example. Laparoscopy is also called abdominoscopy.
- endoscopy - similar to a laparoscope, the endoscope is used to visualize the inside of the body. Endoscopy is often done to diagnose gastric ulcers, locate the source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and examine the lower esophagus, stomach and lower colon.
- arthroscopy - with the use of an endoscope, surgeons can look at the interior of a joint. This technique is most often used to inspect the inside of the knee joint.
- bronchoscopy - the examination of the bronchi, the main airways of the lungs, to diagnose certain lung disorders.
- cystoscopy - inserting a viewing tube up the urethra to examine the urethra and bladder cavity.
- gastroscopy - examining the lining of the esophagus, stomach and the first part of the small intestine with a long viewing tube.
- hysteroscopy - a visual inspection of the cervical canal and uterine cavity with an endoscope.
- laryngoscopy - inspecting the larynx (voice box) with a mirror or viewing tube.
- sigmoidoscopy - examination of the rectum and sigmoid colon with a viewing tube.

This page was last updated on: November 8, 2007.

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