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Abdominal exploration Description:
The abdomen contains many vital organs: the stomach, the small intestine (ileum), the large intestine (colon), the liver, the spleen, the gallbladder, the pancreas, the uterus, the Fallopian tubes, the ovaries, the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, and many blood vessels (arteries and veins). Some problems inside the abdomen can be easily diagnosed, but many require surgery to "explore" the abdomen (exploratory laparotomy).
While the patient is deep asleep and pain-free (general anesthesia), the surgeon makes an incision into the abdomen and examines the abdominal organs. Tissue samples ( biopsies ) can be taken and diseased areas can be treated. When the treatment is complete, the incision is closed.
Indications:
An exploratory laparotomy may be recommended when there is abdominal disease from an unknown cause (to diagnose).
Diseases that may be discovered by exploratory laparotomy include:
What to Expect After:
The outcome from the surgery itself is usually excellent.
Convalescence:
Eating and drinking can usually resume 2 to 3 days after the surgery. Hospital stays vary with the severity of the underlying problem. Complete recovery usually takes about 4 weeks.
Risks:
Risks for any anesthesia are: Risks for any surgery are: Additional risks include incisional hernia .
Cost:
The costs of any surgery varies significantly between surgeons, medical facilities, and regions of the country. Patients who are younger, sicker, or need more extensive surgery will require more intensive and expensive treatment.
Costs can be separated into five parts: 1) the surgeon's fee, 2) the anesthesiologist's fee, 3) the hospital charges, which includes nursing care and the operating room, 4) the medications, and 5) additional charges.
1. Surgeon's fee: averages $800 to $1,000
2. Anesthesiologist's fee: averages $350 to $400 per hour
3. Hospital charges: basic rate averages $1,500 to $1,800 per day (more for the intensive care unit (ICU) or private rooms)
4. Medication charges: $200 to $400
5. Additional charges: assisting surgeon, treatment of complications, diagnostic procedures (such as blood or Xray exams), medical supplies, equipment use, and so on.
Insurance coverage for surgery expenses depends on many factors and should be explored for each individual instance.
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