Afraid to Go Under the Knife? 5 Reasons Surgery is Safer Than Ever

 Medicine  

With today's advanced surgical equipment and techniques, undergoing surgery is safer than ever. Take a look at five ways going under the knife is not as scary a prospect as it once was.

Once considered very risky, surgery complications in the past commonly included excessive bleeding, post-operative infections and long recoveries. However, thanks to advanced surgical equipment and techniques, undergoing surgery is safer than ever. Nowadays surgery doesn't always mean going "under-the-knife." Here are five reasons why surgery is safer than ever:

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Smaller Incisions

Thanks to advances in medical instruments, surgery is safer than ever because incisions are smaller than ever. The use of specialized scopes, such as laparoscopes and arthroscopes, eliminates the need for an invasive surgery. Instead, only a small incision is needed to place the scope in the area needed. In particular, the use of scopes has nearly wiped out the necessity of the once-common "exploratory surgery."

Lasers

Laser surgery has made scalpel-free procedures possible. Lasers are used to remove tissues or repair blood vessels. For example, laser surgery is now a standard for tattoo removal, wart removal and the removal of precancerous skin blemishes. Lasers are minimally invasive and encourage better healing.

Sterile Environment

Much more is known about bacteria and viruses than even twenty years ago. Practices have been perfected to keep the surgical area free of pathogens. For instance, surgeons, nurses, surgical assistants and anyone else in the operating room is required to use sterile scrubs, as well as use proper hygiene practices, including hand-washing with a special soap before surgery. The operating room and equipment are cleaned thoroughly with disinfectant before each surgery. For example, medical and dental professionals use Glutaraldehyde, a powerful chemical disinfectant, to create a sterile environment in which to work.  Most hospitals do not allow onlookers in the room because of "universal precautions," which means that medical providers must treat any person or thing that comes into the operating room as non-sterile.

Robotic Surgery

Surgery has been made safer and even more minimally invasive with robots and computers. While it might seem like something out of a science-fiction movie, robotic-assisted surgery is still controlled by a surgeon. This tool simply gives the surgeon a better way to access the surgical area in a way that leaves more tissues intact than if he used his hands. This means a smaller likelihood of infection and a better recovery for the patient.

Blood Transfusions

For years, blood donations were not screened. This led to the prevalence of diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis being transmitted via blood transfusions received; many of these cases occurred when a blood transfusion was needed during surgery. However, blood transfusions today are thoroughly screened to prevent the spread of such diseases.

While surgery still carries risks, infection, sepsis and disease after surgery is not as likely as it once was. Thanks to advances in techniques and equipment, surgery is safer than ever.

By Meghan Belnap

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