Everyone is scared of surgery!
And why should one not be? The entire process involves tedious hospital admission, injections, operation and postoperative pain. Add to it the fear of complications and it is too much to handle for most.
Who looks forward to all that?
True! We all undertake the whole ordeal because there is no way out. If we had a choice we would run away.
There are many situations where medicines don’t work such as a severe local infections, tumors, hernias, stones, etc. In many instances surgery is also employed because although medicines may work, an operation gives much better results alone or in combination with medicines. This may be classically seen in surgery for hiatus hernia, piles, severe obesity and diabetes.
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Since surgery may be inevitable and in many cases a wise choice, the question is – How do we make it more safe and comfortable?
Actually in modern era, surgery has become increasingly safe and comfortable. Sometimes it’s more than that!
Take the example of Dr Gupta (name changed) – a busy Gynecologist. She had a scarless laparoscopic surgery for her gallstones and got back to do her clinic the very next day! Or Mr Agarwal- he had a stapler surgery for piles and was attending a corporate meeting the next evening. Mrs Khemkha went off for a vacation after a week following her bariatric surgery (keyhole surgery for obesity and diabetes).
All these examples are not mere fantasy! They are real life events. Yes, sometimes a complication can mar the comfortable convalescence of a patient and can rarely put a question on survival as well, but that high risk subset should be identifiable and counselled accordingly before surgery. For the large majority of patients the above cited examples can be their story as well.
So how is this possible?
The answer is –
Science and biotechnology is progressing at a rapid pace. We are in the era of peak technological progress. Medical instruments have changed the way we do surgery these days:
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1. Medical imaging system- used in various endoscopic procedures has changed the way abdominal, gynecological, thoracic, cancer and ENT surgery is done today. A large majority of surgeries can now be performed with precision without much pain and access trauma. Some operations can even be done without leaving any visible scar in the body! Magic? No it’s science.
2. Energy sources have redefined the way a diseased organ can be excised. Bloodless and precise!
3. Staplers- devices that join two bowels- have made job easier in difficult-to-access sites such as oesophagus and rectum. Bariatric and Cancer surgery has been refined with the advent of this useful contraption.
4. Diagnostic imaging such as CT, MRI and PET has made possible to see and diagnose lesions that are small and subtle. Of course what we doctors suffer now more commonly is the abundance of information rather than the lack of it. Most of the time it’s about interpreting the data with sound clinical judgement.
5. It would be incomplete an article if it wasn’t mentioned here what a big role internet plays in the dissemination of scientific knowledge. The updated information is available for everyone – patients and surgeons – to see. One can learn, share and even have tele conferencing through the Internet. In a way, the library of info is at one’s laptop.
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What I have written is only a glimpse of what is happening in biotechnology. There is so much more! It’s absolutely amazing how it has changed the way surgery is done these days. However I must add a caveat here. All these are tools that help surgeon. There is no replacement to sound clinical judgement and skilful operative technique. As the adage goes- a fool with a tool is still a fool!
Surgeons who combine both technique and technology I guess will rule the future!