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Hand-assisted laparoscopy is a new technique that reduces the technical challenge of standard laparoscopy, reduces operating
time, and allows removal of a tumor-bearing organ through a small incision. The technique can be used for surgery on
the kidney and adrenal gland. During standard laparoscopy, a camera and surgical instruments are placed in the abdomen
through separate incisions each about half an inch long. During hand-assisted laparoscopy, the surgeon's non-dominant
hand is placed in the abdomen through another incision about 3-4 inches long. The surgeon's dominant hand uses
the laparoscopic instruments to dissect tissue and clip blood vessels. The hand in the abdomen works in concert with
the hand bearing the laparoscopic instruments to provide quicker and safer tissue dissection and control of blood vessels.
An operation on the adrenal gland or kidney using the hand-assisted laparoscopic technique takes about 2-4 hours to complete.
The patient usually leaves the hospital in 2-3 days and returns to normal activity in 2-4 weeks. Thus, laparoscopy
has several benefits, which include reduced analgesic use, decreased length of hospital stay, less scarring, and a shorter
recovery period.
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