Re: Adhesions

From: Judy Kemp (jukemp@utmb.edu)
Mon Jul 21 20:41:23 2003


Hi Sue,

It would be soooo wonderful if adhesions would show up on any type of testing, and really they do not. Certainly NOT directly, like bones show up on an x-ray, central nervous system stuff on an MRI, etc. There are a few INDIRECT was to POSSIBLY see what might be obstructions/kinks in the bowel - but they are not specific (meaning the results can be from more than one reason) - an enterocolysis for example.

The "gold standard" to see if you have adhesions, is to see if you have adhesions by actually looking into the abdominal cavity. But watch the terminology here: laparoscopy means the surgeon looks into the abdomen through a small hole (normally made near your belly button) and takes a peak using a laparoscope (and instrument about the diameter of a dime that has fiber optics and transfers the view onto a monitor to see). A laparotomy is an open incision (usually large) in the abdomen for direct visualization and/or procedures. These 2 types of surgery are worlds apart.

Caution: if you are an adhesion former you would prefer laparoscopy as it is much less invasive and therefore much less likely to form NEW adhesions in and of itself!

Bottom line, look for the most competent surgeon you can find to do an adhesionolysis via a laparoscope. We wish you the best of success! Judy On Monday, July 21, 2003, at 05:41 AM, Susan wrote:

> Please could any one tell me if Adhesions can be seen through a
> abdominal scan of colonoscopy? or X-ray, or if can only be seen by
> Laparotomy surgery hoping some one can help? Thanks Sue
>
> http://www.adhesions.org/forums/listcmds.htm
>


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