Endourology and urolaparoscopy have come to the front line of medicine and healthcare in managing many uropathogenic (relating to the urinary tract) conditions.
As one of the advanced countries in the field, Iran has over two decades of experience in performing the most advanced procedures in laparoscopy and ultrasound guided PCNL (a minimally-invasive procedure to remove stones from the kidney by a small puncture wound up to about 1 cm through the skin) in patients under local spinal anesthesia, said Dr. Nasser Simforoush, head of Iranian Endourology and Urolaparoscopy Society of Iran (IEUS).
“We have advanced in new and sophisticated methods of treatment including mini-laparoscopy that leave no trace of incisions a few months after post-surgery,” he said, IRNA reported.
Mini-laparoscopy uses smaller tools to perform laparoscopy which make smaller incisions to perform the same procedures done through traditional open surgery. Studies have long shown major benefits of laparoscopic surgery for patients, including decreased blood loss, reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, and quicker return to normal physical activities and work.
“We also use laparoscopy to remove kidneys from donors without making a large cut, Simforoush added, noting that the procedure is particularly important in pediatrics, as it leaves no permanent marks.
The smaller incisions in mini-laparoscopy are less likely to become infected than those from open surgery and are less vulnerable to herniation or the abnormal protrusion of an organ or other body structure through a defect or natural opening in a covering membrane, muscle, or bone, particularly in overweight and obese patients.
A large number of mini-laparoscopic procedures are done by robots that are chiefly produced in the US.
“Due to the Western sanctions Iran could not buy the robots,” said Simforoush.
“However, scientists at Tehran’s Sharif University have recently built a prototype using domestically produced components and knowledge.”
It was successfully trialed in gallbladder surgeries in animals and a recorded film along with other national achievements in the field were presented to local and foreign participants from Asia, Europe and the US at the 8th Iranian Endourology & UroLaparoscopy Congress held May 18-20 at Shahid Labbafinejad Congress Center in Tehran.
