Laparoscopy

What is Laparoscopy?

A surgical procedure in which a small camera is inserted into the abdomen through a small incision.

Laparoscopy has been used for many years in human medicine to carry out a wide variety of abdominal surgical procedures. Veterinary medicine has been somewhat lagging behind with surgical advancements but now we can offer our pets similar procedures that we would expect as standard for ourselves.

What type of procedures can we carry out?

The most common uses at present are for

• Liver biopsies
• Kidney biopsies
• Pancreatic biopsies
• Investigation of abdominal masses
• Gastropexy for gastric torsion
• Cryptorchid castration (undescended testicles
• Ovariohysterectomy (bitch spay)

How does it work?
The animal is placed under general anaesthetic ready for surgery. The abdomen is clipped and cleaned with an antiseptic solution.
The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide to enable better visualisation of the abdominal organs.
Two or three small incisions (approx 5mm) are made through the skin and the abdominal wall.
A small telescope is passed into the abdomen through one hole and the other holes are used to pass surgical instruments.
When the surgery is complete the scope and instruments are removed and the abdomen is deflated (the carbon dioxide is removed).
The holes in the abdomen are closed with a single stitch and the skin is closed with an absorbable stitch or tissue glue.

What are the benefits?
There are a number of advantages to both the animal and owner with laparascopic surgery versus traditional “open methods”.

These include:

• Reduced post-operative pain
• Much smaller incisions
• Less pain
• Quicker healing
• Less tissue handling
• Quicker recovery time and reduced hospital stay
• Reduced infection rates
• Reduced blood loss

The surgeon also benefits as the images are magnified and illuminated on a screen allowing much better visualisation especially in large breeds or overweight animals.
The speedy recovery time is especially important when dealing with elderly or unwell animals.

Laparoscopy is a highly skilled innovative tool, requiring a whole new set of hand-eye co-ordination skills and visualisation techniques. As a result most laparascopic surgeries are restricted to referral centres but we are very pleased to be able to offer a range of laparoscopic surgeries and other endoscopic procedures to our clients at Parkside at a greatly reduced cost.

We also have a wide range of smaller scopes and flexible scopes allowing us to inspect areas that were previously inaccessible.

Other areas that we can scope include:

• Bladder & urethra
• Nose
• Ears
• Thorax (chest)
• Trachea and bronchi
• Stomach

If you are interested in learning more about laparoscopy at Parkside or would like to enquire about a specific surgery for your pet, please ring the surgery during opening hours and ask to speak to Dallas Ferguson. Alternatively any of our staff will gladly help you with your enquiries.

Telephone: 0208 3958222

last updated 08/03/2009

 "Barclay! If Dallas catches you using that expensive equipment then you'll be for it!"

"What are you doing?"

 "You're looking at the inside of a Jammie Dodger....!"