Tyler Plastic Surgery

Endoscopy, or endoscopic surgery, refers to a surgical technique that involves the use of an endoscope, a special viewing instrument that allows a surgeon to see images of the body's internal structures through very small incisions.

About Endoscopic Surgery

• The Best Endoscopic Surgery Candidates
• Having an Endoscopic Procedure
• Endoscopic Surgery Risks
• Endoscopic Surgery Recovery

The Best Endoscopic Surgery Candidates

Who can benefit most from endoscopy?

Endoscopic surgery can be used in a variety of surgical procedures, however in cosmetic surgery, an endoscope is typically used in forehead lift, facelift and chin implant procedures. An endoscope is also sometimes used during breast augmentation and tummy tuck.

Reconstructive surgery procedures may also be performed endoscopically. Flap surgeries such as TRAM flap and Free flap breast reconstruction, tissue expander placement for breast reconstruction and carpal tunnel hand surgery often incorporate an endoscope.

If you are a good candidate for one of these cosmetic or reconstructive surgery procedures, and your treatment needs to not require large incisions, you may be an ideal candidate for endoscopic surgery.

It is important to note, however, that endoscopic surgery is usually not utilized in cases that require extensive surgical treatment, such as removing a large amount of abdominal tissue during a tummy tuck.

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Having an Endoscopic Procedure

What to expect from endoscopy

During endoscopic surgery, the tubular probe component of the endoscope, which is fitted with a tiny light and camera, is inserted through a small incision. Dr. Motlagh views the camera feedback on a viewing screen that magnifies the images of your internal body structures. He watches the screen while moving the endoscope tube through the surgical area and performs necessary surgical techniques.

The endoscope is a viewing device only and is not used to perform surgery. Additional incisions (about 2-4 small incisions) must be placed to create a point of entry for the surgical instruments used to carry out your procedure.

So, the steps taken to prepare you for surgery and the surgical techniques performed during endoscopic surgery are actually the same as with a surgical procedure that is not performed endoscopically. The primary difference is the size of the incisions used to access internal body structures and tissues.

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Endoscopic Surgery Risks

Surgical risks with endoscopic procedures

Like all cosmetic and reconstructive surgery procedures, endoscopic surgery carries some risk and many potential complications that can occur with open surgical procedures can occur after endoscopic surgery, including:

• Infection
• Poor wound healing or scarring
• Fluid accumulation (seroma)
• Nerve or blood vessel damage
• Blood clots
• Skin or internal organ injury

But unlike some open surgical procedures, endoscopic surgery patients will generally have smaller, well-hidden scars. Reduced bleeding, bruising, swelling and nerve damage risks are also benefits of endoscopic surgery.

Overnight hospital stays can typically be avoided with endoscopic surgery, and local anesthesia with IV sedation is usually administered instead of riskier general anesthesia.

And, keep in mind that if a complication occurs at any time during the operation your surgeon may have to switch to an open procedure, which will result in a more extensive scar and a longer recovery period. However, to date, such complications are rare--estimated to occur in less than 5 percent of all endoscopy procedures.

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Endoscopic Surgery Recovery

How the endoscopic technique affects surgical recovery

Endoscopic surgery recovery is often not as lengthy as recovery from an open (non-endoscopic) surgical procedure. The same post-operative care instructions will typically apply after endoscopic surgery as with other cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures, but the total amount of time spent recovering and healing may be reduced.

Only an experienced plastic surgeon should perform endoscopic surgery, especially since this technique is relatively new to plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Motlagh is a highly skilled Tyler plastic surgeon with hospital privileges to perform endoscopic surgery. He serves patients seeking endoscopic surgery from Dallas, Fort Worth and Plano, Texas to Shreveport, Louisiana, and everywhere in between.

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