American surgeons have told Sky News how they removed a man's appendix by operating through his mouth - a world first. The ground-breaking procedure ensured the man, who was acutely ill with appendicitis, had no visible scar. Jeff Scholz, 40, also recovered faster than he would have done with the current keyhole technique. Mr Scholz told Sky News: "I was eating pizza and doing sit-ups three days later. "You'd think the way it was done, you know going through the stomach wall, I'd have all kind of stomach pains, but there was nothing." Surgeons at the University of California San Diego Medical Centre threaded miniaturised instruments attached to long control wires down the throat of the former US marine. Once they had emptied his stomach of its contents they made a small incision in the lining to reach inside the body cavity. The inflamed appendix was cut away, bagged up, pulled back into the stomach and out of Mr Scholz's mouth. He was discharged from hospital after just 17 hours and back at work a day later. The University has pioneered so-called trans-gastric procedures at its Centre for Future Surgery. Director Professor Santiago Horgan said operating through the stomach reduces the risk of infections. Bacteria such as MRSA, that commonly cause post-surgical complications, cannot survive in the acidic environment of the stomach. The technique also allows much quicker recovery. Professor Santiago said: "My dad was a surgeon and in his time, the larger the incision, the better the surgeon. Today we are moving away from that and trying to minimise trauma. "If we don't make any incisions in the abdomen, we can improve pain, we can improve post operative complications from incisions, infections, hernias and again pain." Trans-gastric surgery is still experimental. Surgeons need to be sure that there is no risk of stomach contents contaminating the body cavity. A team of surgeons in India also claim to have removed a patient's appendix through their mouth. But they haven't demonstrated their technique to the outside world. Other natural orifices can also be used to access internal organs.
Why? Cause I love scars? or Cause I don't want my oragns taken out of me through my mouth? Imagine the after taste <throws up recently eaten meal>
I don't know if I would go for that or not. my dentist keeps telling me my mouth is too small to work on well. but I don't think I would want to enlarge it that way either. Next they will do brain surgery through your nose.
I heard about this. Pretty interesting stuf. Wonder what the risks are though. I mean screw up and cut something inportant how do they ge ttheir hands in there to fix it? Maybe there is a reason I'm not a doctor though...
I can envision the discussion that led to this breakthrough: Hearing impaired doctor: Mr Jones, you should have your appendix removed right away. Mr. Jones (nervously): Only if it's an elementary procedure... Doctor: Ok. Alimentary it is,then.
