NutriClinic

There are many kinds of conditions and symptoms that require different kinds of surgery for treatment as well as diagnostic management. One such procedure is called a laparoscopy or the laparoscopic surgery. This is a surgical diagnostic management procedure that is known to be a low risk process with minimal invasion and suitable for various types of ailments. Read on to know everything about laparoscopic surgeries.

• Definition: A laparoscopic surgery is one where small incisions are made and an instrument called a laparoscope is used in order to take a look at the organs in the abdominal region. This tool is a long tube shaped one that comes with its own high intensity light and a high resolution camera that can easily move along the walls of the organs while the camera sends back imagery that will be displayed on a video screen in front of the doctor. This avoids the need for an open surgery and helps the doctors in getting samples for a biopsy on an outpatient basis.
• Need for Laparoscopy: This procedure is performed when the patient complains of persistent pain that is also sharp and shooting, in the abdomen region and surrounding areas like the pelvic cavity. This non-invasive method helps in diagnosis where other imaging methods like an ultrasound and CT or MRI scans would have failed to give a conclusive reason for the pain and suffering of the patient. When these tests do not supply enough reason for proper diagnosis, then the doctors usually resort to this kind of procedure.
• The Organs it can be used for: The laparoscopic surgery can be used for many organs including the appendix as well as the gall bladder, the pelvic region and the reproductive organs, the small and large intestines, the spleen, the stomach, the liver and the pancreas.
• What all can it Detect: The laparoscopic surgery can help in detecting a number of issues including any abnormal growth or mass that may be a tumour. It can also point at the presence of any disease in the liver, as well as the proper functioning of certain treatments. Also, it can show the amount of fluid that may or may not be present in the abdominal cavity and the extent of cancer's progression in the body.
• Risks: There are a few side effects or risks of this method including fever, chills, swelling, bleeding or redness of the site where the incision was made for the surgery, and shortness of breath. All these symptoms must be reported to the doctor immediately as they may point at the presence of an infection. Also, there is a risk of organ damage in this procedure.

A stroke, also called cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebrovascular insult(CVI), or brain attack, occurs when a part of the brain is deprived of blood flow. When the brain cells are deprived of oxygen they begin to die. When brain cells die, the functions controlled by that part of the brain also stops, which results in different types of disabilities among stroke survivors.

There are two types of strokes

• Hemorrhagic
• Ischemic stroke

The first is caused when a brain aneurysm or a weak blood vessel bursts. Most of the time, this type of stroke leads to death. The second one happens when a clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. Patients suffering from stroke suffer from various side-effects, the most common ones being paralysis or loss of feeling in a certain part of the body, problem in understanding or talking and loss of vision in one side. The side-effects start showing up regularly after a person has had a stroke.

In certain conditions, blood flow to a certain part of the brain stops for only some time and hence the body suffers stroke like symptoms which only last a couple of hours before disappearing. This is known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Unfortunately, the effects of a stroke can be debilitating and also permanent. Hence its important to know the symptoms of a stroke and rush the patient to a doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes early treatment can save a lot of damage.

The primary symptoms of stroke are as follows:

1. Confusion and problems with talking and comprehension
2. Headache along with alteration of consciousness or vomiting
3. Numbness of the face, arms or legs, especially on one side of the body
4. Issue with seeing, in one or both eyes
5. Inability to walk with stability, including disrupted coordination
6. Problems with the bladder and bowel control
7. Acute depression
8. Body temperature fluctuates, and pain worsens with movement
9. Paralysis on one side of the body along with fatigue
10. Problem in expressing or controlling emotions

Risk Factors:

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Increased Cholesterol
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Sedentary Lifestyle

Diagnosis of stroke

Several tests are carried out to determine the type of stroke acquired. They are:

1. Physical examination, which involves observing the patient's overall condition.
2. Blood tests
3. CT scans
4. MRI scans
5. Cerebral angiogram
6. Echocardiograms

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Diabetes is a silent attacker. So, you may continue to be unaware of the disease for a very long time, before you suddenly realize that something is wrong with your body one day. And then tests reveal that you are afflicted with diabetes.

There are some signs that can point to diabetes. Watching out for these can help figure out the problem:

1. You might lose weight, and it may really seem like a great thing in the beginning but it is not. When a person has diabetes, he is likely to lose his weight because of the decreasing water level in his body as well as the inability of the body to break down food into more suitable forms.
2. If you are taking more bathroom breaks than usual, and if the rate of going to the loo is increasing gradually with time, it can well be a sign of diabetes. When you are suffering from diabetes, your body becomes less efficient in breaking down the consumed food into sugars and utilising it. Therefore, a lot of sugar gets saturated in your bloodstream and your body gets rid of it by flushing it out through urination.
3. If you are tired all the time, and by all the time we mean even after getting up from a long and good night's sleep, you may have diabetes. The reason for this is that fatigue comes to you when your body cannot produce enough energy from the food you consume, and this happens only when you have diabetes.

Complications that happen due to diabetes:

1. Cardiovascular diseases: This means that if you are having excessive diabetes, then you are at a risk of having a major heart attack or a heart stroke. Additionally, increased blood sugar levels also lead to other heart-related diseases like chest pain, narrowing of arteries etc.
2. Retinopathy: In simple words, diabetes leads to eye damage by making the eye exposed and prone to severe eye disorders like cataracts and glaucoma. If you have retinopathy, then you may also have face the consequence loss of vision or permanent blindness.
3. Kidney problems: Diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels of the kidneys which may further result in serious kidney disorders and may increase the risks of a sudden kidney failure.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Intra uterine insemination is a common fertility treatment which involves positioning a sperm within the woman’s uterus in order to help it fertilize. The primary objective of this treatment is to surge the number of sperms that are supposed to reach the fallopian tubes for multiplying the chance of fertilization. It offers an advantage to the sperms by minimizing its area of traversal, but the sperm must reach the eggs for fertilizing the ovum on its own. It is a minimally invasive method and much lesser expensive when compared to in vitro fertilization.

When do the doctors recommend intra uterine insemination?
The most common reason behind opting for intra uterine insemination is decreased sperm mobility and low sperm count. But there are various other reasons why gynecologists recommend this treatment and these include unexplained infertility, cervical scar tissues from past operations, cervical mucus problems, ejaculation dysfunction and several others.
On the other hand, intra uterine insemination is not recommended for women with conditions of pelvic infections, moderate to severe endometriosis and women with acute problems in the fallopian tubes.

How does the process of intra uterine insemination work?

• Before opting for the intra uterine insemination, doctors may recommend ovulation stimulating medicines which require careful monitoring of the eggs to determine when they are mature. The intra uterine insemination will be done between 24 and 36 hours after the rise in LH hormones which indicates high chances of ovulation.
• A semen sample is separated from the semen, and then the sperm is inserted directly into the uterus with the help of a catheter. This procedure improves the positioning of sperm cells into the uterus which, in turn, increases the chances of conception.
• The whole procedure takes about a couple of minutes and gives only minimal discomfort. Then the doctors closely monitor your signs and symptoms of pregnancy. In most cases, there is minimal risk of infection after the intra uterine insemination. Also, women who take fertility medications while having IUI also have chances to become pregnant with multiples.

What is the success rate of intra uterine insemination?
The success of intra uterine insemination depends on a host of factors. If a couple chooses to opt for this treatment every month, the chances of successful pregnancy are increased by 20 percent per cycle. But factors like age of the woman, use of fertility drugs, and the reason behind infertility play a critical role.

Since intra uterine insemination is a cheaper process compared to in vitro fertilization, the success rate of this procedure can sometimes be lower than the latter. It however in most cases gives good results. So, if you are interested in this treatment, you must consult with an expert gynaecologist for discussing your options.

Ovarian cysts are a common development in many women. Cysts are sacs filled with fluid which are formed in the female ovaries. Most cysts are harmless and do not even show any symptoms. However, some cysts do show outward symptoms like heavy bleeding, clotting, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain during the menstrual cycle, and pain during sex.

If you feel any of the above-mentioned discomforts, it will be in your best interest to book an appointment with your gynaecologist and get a check-up done. Most cysts are manageable unless they are very severe. In fact, it is best that cysts come to light at the right time and are efficiently managed, unless they develop into severe issues in the future.

Management of cysts

1. Oftentimes, medical practitioners resort to what is called ‘watchful waiting’.
2. At times, ovarian cysts disappear in a few months.
3. It is recommended to take a blood test and an ultrasound to see the progress of the cyst.
4. If you have already experienced menopause, then these tests are carried out every four months. This is because in such cases the risk of an ovarian cancer is at its highest and regular monitoring of the cyst is necessary.

Treatment of cysts
Ovarian cysts can be treated in their earlier stages. Here are some of the most popular treatments.

1. Laparoscopy is one of the most popular treatments. It is a surgery carried out under general anaesthesia. The tummy is cut to a radius of a key hole and a laparoscope is inserted. This helps the doctor to see the internal organs, which is then used to remove the cyst. This method is less painful and has a quick recovery time.
2. Laparotomy is the other method used for removing a cyst. In case the cyst is large, then one single large hole is made in the body to access the cyst. At times, the cyst and the ovaries are removed and sent for further laboratory inspection. This inspection is done to detect whether the samples are cancerous or not. This procedure is more complex than the previous one and might need the patient to stay in the hospital for a few days.
3. In case you have a cancerous cyst, then your reproductive part itself would have to be removed rendering you barren for your life.

Ovarian cyst is very much treatable and is best to be detected at an earlier stage for better and faster treatment. Thus, it is best to go for regular check-ups and report in case of any disturbing symptoms. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Delivering a baby is a painful, but also a pleasurable moment for the mother. But if the delivery is done through a C-section surgery or what is more commonly termed as Caesarean delivery, the pain is not felt during the actual delivery since the woman in under anaesthesia. However, the real challenge is to recover from the operation. The first week is particularly critical. Here are some things you can do to manage it with less discomfort:

1. The first few hours, naturally, you will be under close observation till you fully regain conscience if it was a general anaesthesia. If only the lower portion was numbed for the surgery, then also the feelings in the legs etc. will return within a few hours.
2. You will start breastfeeding the baby; wear comfortable clothes so that you can feed the baby without any discomfort. If this is the first experience, learn things that you need to know through books or from friends and relatives who would have had a C-section earlier.
3. You may feel more comfortable in a recliner than a flat bed. Most hospitals should be able to provide you one.
4. You might be better off with a heater pad of your own, since your back may be aching considerably and bringing down the pain is essential.
5. Wearing a binder around your tummy is another suggestion given by many women who have had a C-section delivery; besides helping with easing the pain, it also prevents the tummy from bulging, which you would want to avoid.
6. Follow the obstetrician’s advice on having a shower and also on resuming some of your physical activities without hurting the stitches or the sutures.
7. By Day 3, you should be able to resume eating your normal diet; in many cases, it could be earlier than that.
8. Do take care to avoid lifting anything heavy. The heaviest object you can lift is your baby. Make your husband or any other person to help you through this period to avoid any complications later.
9. How about medicines? If you are already on any kind of medication and if you had stopped any of them due to the surgical procedure, check with the doctor and resume taking the medicines.
10. Keep a close watch on the food you eat, particularly since you will also be nursing your baby. Don’t hesitate to consult the doctor on things you may be fond of, but have to avoid in order to protect the kid from being affected in any way.

Pregnancy and delivery are some of the happiest moments in any mother’s life; so remain cheerful throughout and enjoy the moments. If the delivery has been done through C-section, some of these extra precautions are to be observed to make it easy for yourself to recover fast. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!