What is the difference between open and lap sugery?
The difference is in the size of the incision. Traditional or open is one where there is an abdominable incision 4-12 inches long. Lap surgery is done by making five or six small “port” incisions about 1/4 to 1/2 inch each. A laparoscope is inserted into the incision and is connected to a video camera and shows up on a monitor. The entire operation is performed inside the abdomen after gas is used to expand the abdominable cavity. Recovery is generally quicker with the Lap version.
