When surgery can be performed equally well and equally safely by either laparoscopy or laparotomy, the decision as to the type of incision to be used can (and in my opinion really should) include the patient.
In the hands of an experienced laparoscopic surgeon, virtually any problem associated with endometriosis that can be treated by laparotomy can now be handled (at least as easily) via laparoscopy. Laparoscopic surgery has benefited women in many ways. Differences between these surgical incisions include:
1) Laparotomy
- opening the abdomen to perform the surgery directly through a large (open) incision
- cosmetically considered “disfiguring” by many younger women
- requires a stay (usually several days) in the hospital
- postoperative recovery (and pain) often spans a several week period with significant time out from work
(2) Laparoscopy
- minimally invasive same day surgery using small (about .5-1 cm) incisions
- a long slender telescope is entered through an incision (about 1 cm long near the umbilicus) and other tools are entered through one to three smaller incisions (usually in the lower abdomen)
- postoperative recovery is usually a few days with little (pain and) time out from work.
- incision discomfort is minimal compared to laparotomy incisions
Available Case Reports:
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