Question:
Does a laparscopic assisted surgery cause an open wound ?

I had a VBG lap assisted surgery. To my surprise I was cut open and now had a 4-5 inches of scar in my stomach. I thought that a laparscopic surgery will produces 4-5 pencil size holes without the need to cut open the stomach. But the doctor said that I had agreed to a lap assisted surgery instead of a laparscopic surgery. He said a lap assisted surgery will still produce an open cut and is different from a laparscopic surgery. Is the term "lap assisted" surgery means that you will still be cut open ?    — Jamil H. (posted on April 25, 2003)

April 25, 2003
"Lap Assisted" means just that *assistance* from the laparoscope -- not entirely performed by it. "Laparoscopic" means 5-6 holes, procedure done exclusively through these. A 4-5" scar does not sound so big. My guess is the surgeon did part of the surgery (stomach OR intestine) through the incision, and used the "assistance" of the laparoscope to help with the remaining part, and saving you from a longer incision.
   — Lori A.

April 25, 2003
I had a lap-assisted rny 8-26-02. I have three tiny incisions that have healed quite nicely and a mid-line incision that is about 4 inches long. Others I know who have had an open procedure have had much longer incisions, as much as 12 inches long! My surgeon explained that he only would need to make a cut that was large enough for him to fit his hand into my abdomenal cavity, to assist the mostly lap procedure.
   — dorothy S.