Laparoscopy without General Anesthesia

What is a Laparoscopy without General Anesthesia?
Laparoscopy without General Anesthesia is a novel technique that uses a small (2mm) laparoscope to visualize the peritoneal cavity under local anesthesia at the bedside.



What is Laparoscopy without General Anesthesia?
Laparoscopy without General Anesthesia is a novel technique that uses a small (2mm) laparoscope to visualize the peritoneal cavity under local anesthesia at the bedside. This technique may allow rapid and reliable diagnosis of abdominal injuries or trauma, and therefore determine the need for further surgery, without transport to the operating room, general anesthesia or hospital admission.

This differs from traditional exploratory laparoscopy in two ways. First, it does not require the abdomen to be inflated with carbon dioxide. An inflated abdomen, or pneumoperitoneum, provides a large operating space for complex laparoscopic procedures. Instead, the abdominal wall is elevated with instruments as the surgeon inspects the cavity. Without the need for abdominal inflation, the technique can be performed without general anesthesia. The use of a small port allows insertion to be performed under local anesthetic with conscious sedation in any care setting.

Why perform Laparoscopy without General Anesthesia?
The timely diagnosis of intra-abdominal pathology continues to be an elusive problem. Delays in diagnosis and therapeutic decision making are continuing dilemmas in patients who are females of childbearing age, elderly, obese or the immunocompromised. Laparoscopy without general anesthesia potentially can provide an accurate, cost-effective method to assist in the evaluation of patients with acute abdominal pain. Laparoscopy without general anesthesia is not a new technique, but with the combination of two emerging factors--1) the introduction of new technology with the development of improved, smaller laparoscopes and instruments, and 2) the shifting of emphasis on healthcare to a more cost-effective managed care environment--its value and widespread utilization is being reconsidered.

 

To make an appointment with Dr. Rosser, please call 212-420-4337.