Cedar Rapids Laparoscopy

As a provider of laparoscopy in Cedar Rapids, IWHC specializes in minimal invasive surgeries for most of our patients. The procedures are easier for our patients to recover from so they can get back to their lives as quick as possible.
Iowa Women’s Health Center medical staff has the experience and medical aptitude to successfully perform your laparoscopic procedure.

What is laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy can be used by your healthcare provider to examine your abdomen and reproductive organs. This procedure can also be used for the collection of tissue samples (biopsies), which can then be tested. The laparoscope, a thin tube that looks similar to a telescope, is passed through an incision in your abdomen. Your provider can view the outside of your body with the laparoscope.

• Uterus.
• Ovaries
• Fallopian tubes.
• Liver.
• Pancreas.
• Gallbladder.
• Spleen.
• Stomach

If other diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound or X-rays, fail to confirm the cause of the condition, your provider may recommend laparoscopy. Laparoscopy might be recommended by your provider to:

• Locate the source of the pain in the abdominal and pelvic regions.
• Examine a tissue mass.
• Confirm endometrium or Pelvic inflammatory disease.
• You should look for obstructions in the fallopian tubes and other causes of infertility.

PROCEDURE IN DETAIL

How can I prepare for laparoscopy preparation?

These guidelines should be followed before you visit the hospital to have your laparoscopy.

• The day prior to your surgery, do not eat or drink (including water), or smoke after midnight.
• The day of surgery, wear low-heeled footwear. The anesthesia might make you drowsy and cause your feet to become unsteady.
• Avoid jewelry. (You can wear a wedding ring.)
• Wear loose-fitting clothes. After surgery, you may feel some tenderness or cramping in your abdomen.
• Before you go ahead with surgery, remove any nail polish.

What tests are usually done before a laparoscopy is performed?

Before you have laparoscopy, your healthcare provider may need to perform a few tests on you and collect some information about your medical history. These information could include:

• Previous X-rays taken at another facility.
• Film reports
• Labor work.
• Operative report.
• Pathology report.
• Slides on cytotology
• Tissue specimens.

Additional tests may be ordered by your healthcare provider, such as:

• Ultrasound.
• Computed Tomography (CT)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

What is laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy can be performed while you lie down with your head slightly lower than your feet. A general anesthetic will be administered to your body to reduce pain and relax your muscles.

The next step is to make a small incision near the navel. Through this incision, the laparoscope can be inserted. To make it easier to see the organs, your abdomen will be inflated. You might find surgical tools on the laparoscope that can be used to remove scar tissue or take tissue samples.

A second incision may be made by your provider at the pubic hairline. This allows for additional instruments to be used in minor surgeries.

You’ll typically stay in a recovery area for around one hour after surgery. You will then be transferred to an outpatient unit for further observation.

After you have received instructions regarding your home recovery, you will be released from the hospital. Most cases can be discharged within four hours of laparoscopy. After laparoscopy, it is rare for a patient to need to remain in the hospital for more than four hours.

Within two to eight weeks after your laparoscopy, you will be asked to return at your healthcare provider for follow-up appointments. Before you leave the hospital, please confirm with your provider your follow-up appointment time.

Before you go in for surgery, it is important to know that you will not be able drive for 24 hours. You will need someone to pick you up and be there for you during the first 24 hours.

BENEFITS / RISKS

Is laparoscopy safe and effective?

Laparoscopy can be performed in a very safe manner. This procedure allows your healthcare provider make an accurate diagnosis about your condition. About three out of 1,000 women who have this procedure experience complications. Possible complications include:

• Injuries to blood vessels and organs nearby.
• Bleeding.
• Anesthesia problems
• Infection.
• Inflammation of abdominal wall.
• A blood clot could form in the bloodstream and cause clotting in your legs or pelvis.
• This is a rare situation in which a blood clot could travel to your brain or heart, and cause a stroke or heart attack.

Discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider before you have your procedure. Your provider can inform you about possible complications and discuss your risk.

RECOVERY and OUTLOOK

What happens following a laparoscopy procedure?

Most cases you will be able to go home within a few hours of your laparoscopy. Wait until the anesthesia wears off and your healthcare provider confirms that you have not experienced any side effects. You will be able to return home in the days that follow your laparoscopy.

What can I do to recover from laparoscopy at home?

It’s important to remember these things when you are recovering at home from laparoscopy. These are some of the tips:

• After surgery, you should not drink alcohol or drive for 24 hours.
• After surgery, you can still bathe.
• The bandage can be removed the next morning. You can remove steri-strips, which look similar to tape, within two to three days of surgery.
• Usually, you can return to work within three days of your surgery. At your pre-operative appointment, ask for a letter from your doctor exempting you from work.
• If your urine turns green, don’t be alarmed. To check if your fallopian tube are open, a blue dye may have been used.

Do you ever experience any discomfort after laparoscopy treatment?

As with other surgeries, there may be some discomfort following a laparoscopy. These discomforts could include:

• After surgery, your abdomen may be swelling for several days. To ease pain, you may be prescribed acetaminophen.
• For a few days, you might feel a sore throat. Use a throat lozenge.
• It is possible to feel mild nausea. You might eat a light dinner the day before surgery. You might feel nauseated by tea, soup, toast or gelatin.
• For 24 to 72 hours following surgery, gas in the abdomen can cause discomfort in the neck and shoulders. Warm showers, heating pads or walking are all options.

What can I expect from vaginal bleeding following a laparoscopy procedure?

Vaginal bleeding can occur up to one month following laparoscopy. Many women don’t have their normal menstrual cycle for up to six weeks after laparoscopy. You might experience more bleeding and discomfort when your normal cycle is back.

You should wait two to three periods before you determine if laparoscopy helped relieve your condition.

After laparoscopy, when can I resume my sexual activity?

One week after surgery, you can resume sexual activity. However, pregnancy can still happen during recovery. You can prevent pregnancy by using a contraceptive.

WARNING SIGNS TO CONTACT THE DOCTOR

After laparoscopy, when should I call my doctor?

If you have any of these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

• Persistent nausea or vomiting lasting more than 24 hours
• Temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in 24 hours.
• Your wound may be red, swelling, bleeding, or soreness.
• Breathing difficulties or shortness of breath
• The first day of surgery will be marked by heavy menstrual flow, heavy bleeding with clots, or the inability to soak a sanitary pad for more than two hours.