ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has started laparoscopic surgery for emergency patients.

“The facility in the emergency department is the most important, as the majority of the patients come with blunt trauma, due to which internal bleeding starts. With laparoscopic surgery, we will be able to diagnose which organ has been bleeding,” Spokesperson Pims Dr Aneeza Jalil said while talking to Dawn.

It is worth mentioning that laparoscopic surgery is a surgical technique in which short, narrow tubes (trochars) are inserted into the abdomen through small (less than one centimetre) incisions. Through these trochars, long, narrow instruments are inserted. The surgeon uses these instruments to manipulate, cut, and sew tissue.

Dr Jalil said that the facility will be available during the day in an emergency for two months, as residents and postgraduates will have to be trained, and after that, it will be available round the clock.

Replying to a question, she said that the laparoscopic tower had been out of order for the last 10 years, due to which conventional surgeries were being conducted but it was not possible to conduct emergency laparoscopic surgeries.

“Although usually surgeries of gallbladder and appendix are conducted through laparoscopy, in cases of accidents, internal organ bleeding starts, but it becomes difficult to detect it without major surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is the most effective and also cost-effective as it can be reused after sterilisation,” she said.

Dr Jalil said that it was the most important development as a large number of residents and postgraduates of Pims work across the country and even abroad, so they will use the technique there.

“Moreover, it will be encouraged to start laparoscopic surgery in the private sector so that patients would be facilitated,” he said.

According to a statement, with the support of Executive Director Prof. Rana Imran and the Anaesthesia Department, laparoscopic surgery has been started in Pims for emergency patients in the General Surgery Department.

“This is achieved by the efforts of Dr Tariq Abdullah in making this dream true,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2024