Laparoscopy not as Beneficial as Once Believed
January 17, 2002
Laparoscopy may not be as beneficial as doctors once thought, according to a new study that reveals the procedure does not necessarily lead to quicker recovery times. Because laparoscopy requires only a small incision, doctors assumed that patients who undergo the procedure recover quickly and with little pain. Recently, two researchers from the Mayo Clinic and the Dana-Faber Cancer Institute decided to test that long held belief by examining over 400 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer. Surprisingly, the study revealed that recovering laparoscopy patients received only slightly less pain medication and were released only a day earlier than patients of more traditional surgical procedures.
The safety and effectiveness of laparoscopy has been debated since the 1980s when scientists discovered that cancer cells could spread to other parts of the body when malignant growths were removed through the small laparoscopic incision. As such, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons recommends that certain patients avoid laparoscopy procedures.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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