At Aldgate Veterinary Practice, we are extremely proud to be one of the few practices in the area to be able to offer keyhole surgery. This is a minimally invasive surgery which involves placing a camera and small specialised instruments through small (0.5-1.2cm) holes in the body wall and performing surgical procedures.
There are numerous advantages of keyhole surgery compared to conventional surgery. These include:
- Less pain after the procedure
- Faster recovery times: two to three days’ rest as opposed to 10 to 14 with conventional surgery
- Faster healing times
- Minimally invasive
- Often no need for buster collars or medivests after the procedure
- Fewer post-operative complications
Lap spays
The most common procedure we perform with our keyhole surgery equipment is laparoscopic spaying, known as a ‘lap-spay’. The surgery is performed using two small incisions into the abdomen (5mm-12mm depending on the size of the dog). One incision is to allow access for the camera (a laparoscope) to allow the surgeon a clear image of the abdominal contents. The other incision allows the insertion of small instruments so the surgeon can remove the pet’s ovaries.
In a conventional spay, the ligaments connecting the ovaries to the abdominal wall have to be stretched and then torn to allow removal of the ovaries. This can cause significant pain. With keyhole surgery, the ligaments can simply be cauterised and then cut, with much less post-operative pain.
The incisions from the instruments are closed with tissue glue, which means no need for skin sutures, and, in the majority of cases, no need for buster collars.
As mentioned above, the postoperative rest period is reduced from 10 to 14 days with a conventional spay to two to three days with a lap spay. We know how difficult it can be to rest a bouncy young dog in the post-operative period – especially when they’re wearing a buster collar! – and this reduced period of rest can mean a great deal less stress in the post-operative period.
As well as performing lap spays, we can also perform liver biopsies and assist in the removal of retained testicles using the keyhole surgery equipment. Please ask at reception for more details or visit the contact us page to send us a message.