Abdominal surgery broadly involves the opening up of the abdomen. There are several abdominal organs (such as the stomach, liver, intestines etc) and the surgery of each is dealt with differently. The three most common abdominal surgeries are described below:

Laparotomy

In this surgical procedure, the abdominal cavity is accessed by making an incision through the abdominal wall. Another name for this is coeliotomy.

There are two types of laparotomy; diagnostic laparotomy and therapeutic laparotomy. In diagnostic laparotomy, the nature of the disease is not known, and a laparotomy is required to be done in order to find out. A repair or resolution of the problem may or may not follow a diagnostic laparotomy. In a therapeutic laparotomy, the cause is known (eg. Peptic ulcer) and the procedure is done as a therapy. In this case, a laparotomy is considered a first step in the whole procedure of curing the condition.

Appendectomy

Appendectomy is the name given to the surgical procedure that involves the surgical removal of the vermiform appendix. Usually, this is an emergency procedure performed on patients suffering from acute appendicitis. If surgical facilities are not available, then antibiotics are used to prevent the onset of sepsis.

An appendectomy can be performed either by laparoscopic procedure or by opening up the abdomen. If the diagnosis is doubtful or there is a need to hide the scars in the umbilicus or in the pubic hair line, then laparoscopy is generally the option taken. However, laparoscopic procedure is more expensive than open surgery and a little more time consuming. There is also an additional risk (although very low) of pneumoperitoneum, where the abdomen inflates with gas.

Laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopic surgery only refers to operations involving the abdomen or pelvic cavity. It is also known as keyhole surgery, band aid surgery or minimally invasive surgery. It is a surgical technique that belongs to the larger field of endoscopy.

During a laparoscopy, rigid tubes are inserted into the abdominal cavity through tiny holes or incisions. These tubes then allow for a small camera and surgical instruments to be inserted. The cavity is filled with carbon dioxide gas in order to allow for more working and viewing space. The surgeon then manipulates the instruments to perform procedures such as gall bladder removal. Laparoscopy lends itself to speedier recovery and reduced blood loss and infection in comparison with open surgery.