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Surgery and surgical specialties

1,253 articles

Knee replacement

Knee replacement (knee arthroplasty): surgery replacing damaged knee joint surfaces with metal and plastic implants, mainly for osteoarthritis. Total and partial types; implants often last 15-25 years; infection is now the leading revision cause.

Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure in which a balloon is inflated inside a fractured vertebra to restore height before bone cement is injected, treating painful compression fractures.

LAACablation study

LAACablation (NCT03788941) is a physician-initiated prospective registry at Shanghai Xinhua Hospital studying left atrial appendage closure combined with catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation; 931-patient analysis found similar safety and efficacy in women and men.

Labor induction

Labor induction (induction of labor, IOL) is starting labor with medications or mechanical methods. Key facts: Bishop score, oxytocin and prostaglandins, ARRIVE trial 39-week cesarean 18.6% vs 22.2%, WHO 41-week advice.

Labral reconstruction

Labral reconstruction is an arthroscopic procedure that rebuilds a damaged hip or shoulder labrum with graft tissue when the native labrum is too damaged to repair, restoring the joint's suction seal.

Labral repair

Labral repair is a surgical procedure, usually arthroscopic, that reattaches a torn labrum to its bony attachment in the hip or shoulder rather than removing it.

Labyrinth Fenestration

Labyrinth fenestration, also called fenestration operation, is a historical ear surgery for otosclerosis that created a new window into the lateral semicircular canal, perfected one-stage by Julius Lempert in 1938 and later replaced by stapedectomy.

Labyrinthectomy

Labyrinthectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the inner ear's balance organs to abolish vestibular function, sacrificing all remaining hearing and reserved for ears with nonserviceable hearing.

Laceration repair

Laceration repair is the clinical procedure of closing torn skin or soft tissue wounds with sutures, staples, tissue adhesives, or adhesive strips, aiming for hemostasis, cosmetic appearance, and reduced infection risk.

Laminectomy

Laminectomy, also called spinal decompression, is surgery removing the lamina bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, mainly for lumbar spinal stenosis and herniated disks; first successful case 1828, success rate about 90%.

Laminoplasty

Laminoplasty, or cervical laminoplasty, is a posterior cervical spine operation that hinges open the laminae to decompress the spinal cord without fusion, developed in Japan in the 1980s.

Laminotomy

A laminotomy is a spinal decompression operation removing part of one lamina to relieve pressure on the thecal sac or a nerve root, preserving more structure than laminectomy.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a minimally invasive operation that removes one or both adrenal glands through small abdominal incisions, first reported in 1992 and now the preferred approach for most benign adrenal tumors.

Laparoscopic appendectomy

Laparoscopic appendectomy is a minimally invasive operation that removes an inflamed appendix through small incisions using a camera, and is the standard surgical treatment for appendicitis.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a minimally invasive operation that removes the gallbladder through small abdominal incisions using a laparoscope and carbon dioxide insufflation, the standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones.

Laparoscopic hernia repair

Laparoscopic hernia repair is a minimally invasive operation that reinforces the abdominal wall through small incisions, a camera, and prosthetic mesh, used mainly for inguinal hernias and also for ventral and incisional hernias.

Laparoscopic liver resection

Laparoscopic liver resection is a minimally invasive operation that removes part of the liver through small incisions, used for liver tumors and living-donor hepatectomy, first reported in 1992.

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) is a minimally invasive operation for pancreatic and periampullary tumors, first reported in 1994, offering less blood loss and shorter hospital stay than open surgery.

Laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy

Laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) is a minimally invasive alternative to the open Whipple operation for pancreatic and periampullary tumors, first reported in 1994, with comparable oncological outcomes.

Laparoscopic pyeloplasty

Laparoscopic pyeloplasty is a minimally invasive operation that repairs ureteropelvic junction obstruction by excising the blocked segment and rejoining pelvis to ureter, first reported in 1993 with success rates of 85 to 100%.

Laparoscopic resection

Laparoscopic resection is a minimally invasive operation removing diseased tissue or an organ through small abdominal incisions, offering faster bowel recovery and shorter hospital stays than open surgery.

Laparoscopic splenectomy

Laparoscopic splenectomy is a minimally invasive operation that removes the spleen through small abdominal incisions, first reported in 1992, used for hematologic diseases and splenic cysts but not trauma.

Laparoscopy

Laparoscopy (keyhole surgery): minimally invasive abdominal or pelvic surgery through small incisions using a camera-equipped laparoscope and CO2 insufflation. Faster recovery than open surgery; used for diagnosis, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, and cancer surgery.

Laparotomy

Laparotomy, also called celiotomy, is open abdominal surgery through an incision into the peritoneal cavity, performed electively or as an emergency for bleeding, perforation, obstruction, or infection; UK NELA audit data show 30-day mortality fell from 11.8% to 8.1%.

Laryngectomy

Laryngectomy: surgical removal of all or part of the larynx (voice box), mainly for laryngeal cancer. Total laryngectomy, first done by Billroth in 1873, creates a permanent neck stoma, separates airway from digestive tract, and requires voice rehabilitation (TEP prosthesis, esophageal speech, electrolarynx).

Laryngoplasty

Laryngoplasty, also known as medialization laryngoplasty, is head and neck surgery that reshapes the larynx's cartilage, typically placing an implant beside a paralyzed vocal fold to restore voice.

Laryngotracheal reconstruction

Laryngotracheal reconstruction is an open surgical operation that widens a narrowed larynx or trachea, most often in children, by interposing cartilage grafts to treat laryngotracheal stenosis.

LASEK

LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis) is a surface laser eye surgery for myopia and astigmatism, a modification of PRK that preserves the epithelium while avoiding LASIK flap complications.

Laser Angioplasty

Laser angioplasty, also called excimer laser atherectomy or CLiRPATH, is a catheter procedure using pulsating laser beams to vaporize arterial plaque instead of a balloon; niche use remains after early trials showed no restenosis benefit.

Laser capsulotomy

Laser capsulotomy, or YAG laser posterior capsulotomy, is an outpatient ophthalmic procedure using an Nd:YAG laser to open the clouded lens capsule after cataract surgery.