Visceral surgery, also called digestive surgery, is a branch of surgery that deals with the viscera, or bowels of the body. It is a specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and operative treatment of the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, duodenum, intestine, colon, rectum), liver, pancreas, spleen, endocrine and exocrine glands, as well as the wall (hernia, etc.)

The visceral surgeon works in close collaboration with the gastroenterologist, the anesthesiologist and the radiologist. He operates and treats his patients in cases of benign and malignant, inflammatory or tumor pathologies of the viscera. He operates, for example, in the case of a tumor of the stomach or intestine, or during the treatment of hemorrhoids or appendicitis. After the surgery, he continues to monitor and follow up his patient throughout his healing process.

Several techniques can be performed during digestive tract surgery:

    • Laparotomy: classic surgery also called celiotomy that most commonly involves “vertical” incisions in the middle of abdomen
    • Laparoscopy: also called Minimally Invasive Surgery that consists on using small incision of approximately 0.5-1.5 cm in the abdomen or pelvis

The ailments or pathologies that are most often treated at the clinic Avicenne are:

Emergency

  • Appendicitis
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Peritonitis
  • Strangulated hernia
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Gastrointestinal bleeding

Planned

  • Gall bladder
  • Hernia and eventration
  • Inflammatory pathologies of the colon such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis UC
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease GERD
  • Ulcer
  • Colonic tumors (colon), gastric tumors (esophagus, stomach)

Most of our procedures are performed by laparoscopy. A typical example of laparoscopic treatment is the removal of the gallbladder.

Laparoscopic Surgery, or Minimally Invasive Surgery MIS

Laparoscopy is a technique that involves accessing the abdominal cavity without opening the wall and performing operations through small skin incisions using cameras and specific instruments. The CO2 blown into the abdominal cavity helps inflate the belly and creates a workspace for the surgeon. The instrument used is called an endoscope; it is composed of an optical tube equipped with a video camera and a lighting system which allow the retransmission of the image on the screen. The magnifying effect of the camera offers better precision of the surgeon’s gesture, compared to traditional surgery. The entire procedure is performed under general anesthesia.

A distinction is made between medical endoscopy used for diagnosis and being part of another service within Avicenne, and laparoscopic surgery that is performed for treatment by intervention on the abdominal cavity of diagnosed pathologies.

Combining modern infrastructure, the latest generation of laparoscopy systems and recognized specialists in their field, the clinic Avicenne allows the surgeon to perform all kinds of digestive procedures, from the simplest to the most complex, and thus offers numerous advantages to the operated patient:

    • No traumatic opening of the wall with a reduction in the risk of infection and wall complications: so-called minimally invasive surgery,
    • Reduction of postoperative risks and in particular of peritoneal adhesion,
    • Improved operative precision,
    • Decreased post-operative pain,
    • Shorter hospital stay and faster recovery,
    • Reduced operating time for certain procedures,
    • Aesthetic interest: minimum scars.

In addition, laparoscopic surgery is a technique that is highly recommended and used in gynecology and obstetrics, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of certain forms of infertility (release of adhesion around the tubes, endometriosis, etc.), in the case of ectopic pregnancy or also in the case of heavier interventions which can be combined with vaginal surgery (removal of the uterus, genital prolapse, etc.)