Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopy, in one form or another has been in use for more than half a century. However, in recent years the medical profession and Health Insurance Industry has promoted and advertised the application of laparoscopic surgical procedures over traditional surgery.

There are many reasons for the shift to the recommended use of laparoscopy. Laparascopy permits the surgeon to explore the abdominal or pelvic area via an instrument through a small incision. Surgical scarring is much less extensive. However, of greater importance to the health insurance industry is the reduced time an insured patient spends in a hospital as an inpatient. Many recipients of laparoscopic surgery are discharged on the same day or shortly after the surgery. This significantly reduces the insurance costs to the major medical provider and permits surgeons to perform surgeries on a higher volume of patients.

While laparoscopic procedures in most instances are beneficial to the patient, there are serious attendant risks and complications associated with the procedure. The most serious risks are the development and failure to detect air embolisms or bowel perforations. The use of small CO2 lasers and blades can cause injury which is not readily detectable due to poor visualization. Because of the relatively short period of time between the surgery and patient discharge many potential complications are not discovered until the patient's surgical injury has caused serious harm.

Furthermore, there are several contraindications for laparascopic surgery. These include patients who are obese or suffer from intestinal obstruction, those who suffer from cardiac disease or have previously had abdominal or pelvic surgery. These conditions may significantly increase the risk of harm in a laparoscopic procedure that traditional surgery could avoid.

If you have suffered an injury as a result of a laparoscopic surgical procedure please call Ginsberg & O'Connor, P.C. at 609-727-1991. We are located at The Atrium II, 3000 Atrium Way, Suite 101, Mt. Laurel, NJ.