For most people, the thought of surgery is a scary one. The words surgery and operation theatre conjure up gruesome images of blood and complications. Even for the simplest of procedures, the average person is apprehensive and uncertain about the outcome of the surgery. Over the years, technology in medicine has improved and given us more advanced options for surgery that come with less risk and improve quality of life.
In the spirit of medical advancement and pursuant to our goal to be the market leader in Healthcare service provision in Uganda, International Hospital Kampala (IHK) now offers the option of Medical Diode Lasers and Fiber optics technology for minimal invasive surgery for vascular and proctology surgeries for conditions like varicose veins, hemorrhoids, anal fistulas, fissures and pilonidal sinus.
According to Dr. Michael Oling a surgeon at IHK, this is a new procedure where the surgeon uses laser technology to vapourise tissue during the surgery, instead of the traditional scalpel. The entry point can be as small as the hole in a syringe, so there is little to no bleeding involved in this kind of surgery. There is no pain and therefore no need for general anesthesia so the patient can be conscious during the entire procedure. The surgery time can be as short as 20 minutes depending on the procedure, and leaves no scar whatsoever. The patient is able to walk home after the procedure.
This is truly a breakthrough for many people who have had sleepless nights thinking about the fate of their loved ones who are scheduled to go “under the knife”.
So far, the vascular and proctology surgeries have maintained a 98% success rate. Vascular surgery is for diseases of the arteries, veins and lymphatic circulation which need laser surgical reconstruction. This can be done in 20 minutes. Proctology surgery is for disorders of the rectum, anus and colon which are also corrected with laser in a painless 20 minute procedure which leaves no scars.
With this new service, IHK hopes to change how people regard surgery by making it quick and painless, without all the associated complications of recovery after being opened up, like infections. As more and more procedures adopt this technology, long admission periods of recovery in the hospital after surgery and long after surgery care periods for family members will become a thing of the past.