Preparing for laparoscopy
If your gynaecologist thinks that you will benefit from laparoscopy, preparations will be made. These will include:
- explaining the nature and purpose of your laparoscopy
- your consent to have the procedure performed
- making the necessary arrangements with the hospital or day procedure unit
- arranging tests, for example blood tests, x-rays or heart tests
Anaesthetic
The anaesthetist or staff from your hospital pre-admission clinic may wish to speak with you, or examine you, before the procedure. A laparoscopy is conducted under general anaesthetic, so you will be asleep throughout the procedure and will not feel anything.
The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists provides
information through its website
www.anzca.edu.au/Patients about the types of anaesthesia, how to prepare for an anaesthetic and what to expect afterwards.
Every patient is different and the anaesthetists will make changes as required to suit your needs. Patients are usually asked to fast (not drink or eat) for at least six hours before surgery. In some cases, additional measures such as bowel preparation (use of fluids to empty the bowel prior to surgery) will be undertaken.
It is very important to ask your gynaecologist and anaesthetist whether any of your medications need to be stopped before surgery. This is especially important if you are taking blood thinning medications (such as aspirin).
Laparoscopy is a common and safe procedure. More than 25000 gynaecological laparoscopy procedures are performed in Australia every year.
Are there any risks when having a laparoscopy?
Large studies show that the rate of all complications in laparoscopy is less than 1% (1 in 100), with the rate of major complications less than 0.5% (1 in 200). It is important to understand that all operations have some degree of risk.
Potential complications that may occur with laparoscopy include:
- pain
- nausea and vomiting
- bleeding, either during or after the procedure
- infection
- blood clots in your legs or lungs
- damage to other internal organs such as your bladder and bowel
- surgical emphysema, where the carbon dioxide gas becomes trapped in your skin
- a hernia at one of the incision sites