(1888PressRelease)
June 27, 2009 - Since its inception, it has been engaged in the service of ailing humanity in its humble way, to promote and develop new methods of laparoscopic diagnosis and prevention and treatment of diseases by Minimal Access Surgical Procedures at affordable costs. During the last five years, 5000 patients from the underprivileged part of the society have been treated free of cost.
About 500 leading Medical Practitioners, Surgeons and Gynaecologists from India and abroad including the U.S.A and U.K are the members of this august body. This global participation of experts in the field helps in evolving strategies for providing better services to the patients.
Surgical practices in India have a hoary past, dating back to around 3000 BC. Contemporary India is emerging as a medical hub, in more ways than one. Several Indian doctors have made a mark in the best of hospitals and teaching institutions in the developed world, particularly in USA, UK and Australia. Many world class hospitals in major towns of India, provide the best of facilities to attract eminent citizens from foreign lands to promote medical tourism. Laparoscopic surgery in India has gained wide recognition and draws a large number of trainees from abroad.
The costs of Laparoscopic Surgery, hospitalization and follow up in India, are only 1/3 or even 1/4 of the comparable facilities in the USA, Europe or South Africa. Laparoscopy, therefore, attracts a sizable number of foreigners to India for various treatments. Under the umbrella of WALS, it is our endeavour to popularize Minimal Access Surgery, and to help evolve new technologies and infrastructure leading to further refinement of surgical skills and post-operation care of our patients. India will be the beacon to illuminate the path for the generations to come.
Laparoscopy (lap-a-ros-copee) involves examination and surgery of the interior of the abdomen by means of an instrument called a laparoscope (lap-a- ros-cope). A laparoscope is a small telescope-like instrument (about twice as long as a big fountain pen) with fiber optics system that transmits light into the body cavity through a small incision below the navel. This allows the physician to view and examine the organs in the abdominal cavity and to perform surgery because the image is magnified and the picture is of high quality. Any new technology has its risks also but the risks associated with laparoscopy are reduced progressively as the surgeon practices in dry and wet laboratories. Laparoscopy has already gained world-wide acceptance including Europe and USA. Now a day, approximately 97% of the surgical procedures of abdomen and chest are performed by Minimal Access Surgery (MAS).
The biggest beneficiary of laparoscopy is the general public. In conventional surgery a long incision is made to gain access into the abdominal cavity. This result in long and ugly scars, increased post- operation pain, longer stay in hospital, delayed recovery, respiratory problems, greater chances of wound infection, higher chances of hernia, delayed feeding after surgery. The incidence of all these factors is dramatically reduced in laparoscopic surgery. A healthy person, without any other medical ailments and complications, can be investigated as an out- patient. The patient may be admitted one day before laparoscopy. Following a laparoscopic procedure for the gall bladder or appendix they can be discharged on the next day but for more advanced procedures three to four days in hospital would suffice. If laparoscopic surgery is uneventful, feeding can be started on the same day as soon as the patient has recovered completely from the effects of anesthesia; that is when no procedure has been performed on the bowels.
Laparoscopic surgery is less painful as compared to open surgery because the wound is small. Several randomized control trials unequivocally demonstrate that laparoscopic surgery is 6 time less painful.
We are launching the latest methods and technology to develop the skill of surgeon so that they can perform surgery without complications. We are also launching the Robotic training and training of NOTES (Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery), wherein lies the future of laparoscopy.
Laparoscopy heavily dependents upon the advances in engineering. Bio-medical-engineering has to be given all the credit for producing progressively refined tools and technologies due to which advances in laparoscopy have become possible. This aspect of health care is the world's biggest industrial sector. It has a turnover approaching to 100 billion dollars per annum and is currently expanding at a rate of 7% per annum. The opportunities for Medical Engineering graduates are enormous and are expected to be on the rise for many years to come.
Laparoscopic Surgery can be usefully dove-tailed with communication technology. Now a days, transatlantic laparoscopic surgery is possible in which a surgeon, sitting thousands of miles away, can employ a robot and internet facility to perform surgery. Communication technology also is helping much to train surgeons in laparoscopy and to exchange ideas irrespective of geographical distances.
It is expected that during the next 10 years, laparoscopy could be the preferred mode of surgery for most ailments. Most surgeons would, therefore, do well to learn the skills involved in laparoscopy for the benefit of their patients. By disseminating the knowledge of MAS to surgeons, even in remote rural areas, we propose to create awareness through the members of WALS.
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