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Abdominal surgery

The term abdominal surgery broadly covers surgical procedures that involve
opening the abdomen. Surgery of each abdominal organ is dealt with
separately in connection with the description of that organ (see stomach,
kidney, liver, etc.) Diseases affecting the abdominal cavity are dealt with
generally under their own names (e.g. appendicitis). The three most common
abdominal surgeries are described below.

Exploratory Laparotomy.--- This refers to the opening of the abdominal
cavity for direct examination of its contents, for example, to locate a
source of bleeding or trauma. It may or may not be followed by repair or
removal of the primary problem.

Appendectomy. --- Surgical opening of the abdominal cavity and removal of
the appendix. Typically performed as definitive treatment for appendicitis,
although sometimes the appendix is prophylactically removed incidental to
another abdominal procedure.

Laparoscopy. --- A minimally invasive approach to abdominal surgery where
rigid tubes are inserted through small incisions into the abdominal cavity.
The tubes allow introduction of a small camera, surgical instruments, and
gases into the cavity for direct or indirect visualization and treatment of
the abdomen. The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to facilitate
visualization and, often, a small video camera is used to show the procedure
on a monitor in the operating room. The surgeon manipulates instruments
within the abdominal cavity to perform procedures such as cholecystectomy
(gallbladder removal), the most common laparoscopic procedure. The
laparoscopic method speeds recovery time and reduces blood loss and
infection as compared to the traditional "open" cholecystecomy.

Complications of abdominal surgery include bleeding, infection, shock, and
ileus (short-term paralysis of the bowel.) Sterile technique, aseptic
post-operative care, antibiotics, and vigilant post-operative monitoring
greatly reduce the risk of these complications. Planned surgery performed
under sterile conditions is much less risky than that performed under
emergency or unsterile conditions. The contents of the bowel are unsterile,
and thus leakage of bowel contents, as from trauma, substantially increases
the risk of infection.

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