The doctor says theres a chance that she will have to “convert” to a laparotomy – “open” surgery with the larger incision – after starting it with belly button surgery. Why could that be necessary?
Even the most experienced doctors sometimes find that they cannot complete an operation as planned with the laparoscope. There are several reasons why the doctor might have to change, or convert, to an open operation. The patient’s disease, for instance, may turn out to be different or more extensive than originally thought. Organs may not be in their normal position in the body. Patients who had previous surgery in the same area may have developed scar tissue that makes it difficult for the doctor to work with a laparoscope. Bleeding, leakage of body fluids, or other problems that require open surgery may occur during the laparoscopy.
