In a laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection, doctors make a tiny incision, about half an inch long, just beneath the navel. By means of a small needle, the abdomen is gendy filled with air, to give doctors more room to work. Then, using a tiny camera and watching the procedure as it happens on a TV screen, the surgeon removes the pelvic lymph nodes. The gas is pumped out and the incision is closed.
Anesthesia. You’ll most likely be given general anesthesia, which means you’ll be unconscious throughout the surgery. You’ll have a nasogastric (NG) tube inserted through your nose and into your digestive tract; this helps reduce the possibility of air compression and the risk of vomiting.
Afterward. A Foley catheter usually is kept in place only until the anesthesia is worn off and you’re able to urinate on your own. The NG tube probably will be removed in the recovery room shortly after surgery. You’ll be given a diet of clear liquids for a day or two.
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