Hi, Has anyone here with Ehlers Danlos ever had a laparoscopy? I've been told I need to have one and I'm a bit nervous about the potential not healing well issues with EDS.

I've had 2, including a laparascopic hysterectomy. I healed OK from it -- they used glue on me. It healed better than the regular surgery scar on my elbow. I have scars from the stitches there.

I did, before I was dx'd with EDS, though. Mostly healed ok, but I suspect that the surgery caused a couple adhesions that might have been avoided if they had known I have EDS at the time. Keep in mind that there can be huge differences in collagen make-up between different people with EDS, sometimes even within the same type. So some have an increased risk of (for example) stitches not holding than others do.

A very good idea is to talk to the anaesthesia guy and the surgeon, and let them know a) that you have EDS and b) how you have healed from injuries in the past, whether your skin is prone to tearing / very thin and other such EDS-based trickiness. When they know what they're dealing with, they are a lot more likely to improve your chances of a quick recovery, because they'll know what to watch out for.

I just had my gallbladder taken out laproscopically. It went ok and I seem to be healing well from it. My surgeon was prepared for anything with the EDS factoring in. he put in permanent sutures into the incisions instead of the regular dissolving kind so that I could heal with stitches there the whole time. The only thing that I've really noticed is that I have a lot of scar tissue build up behind the incisions.

I've had one a couple years ago. It took me longer than the expected time to recover. they gave me the dissolving stitches and my body rejected them as if my skin was pushing them out. A few fell out, another came out and the incision didnt stay closed and it got infected. I have some pretty intense scars considering how small the insicions were. Thankfully one is in the belly button and not very noticable. the other looks like an oval where it should have been a barely noticible 1/2 line. The other insicion healed fine. Like the others said, everyone reacts differently. Bring in info, see that they understand what they are dealing with and what to look for. Good Luck.

I had my knee surgery done laparoscopically before my connective tissue disorder diagnosis. I had a hard time healing from it and the ten days that it is supposed to take for it to heal enough to take out the stitches were definitely not enough. I had to really be careful not to get the scabs snagged on anything or they would come off and trigger a crimson flow down my leg. My scars still open up spontaneously three years later. However, it was well worth it just keep in mind that you might have a harder recovery than they tell you that you should.

While I haven't had any laproscopic surgery, i have had arthroscopic and have not had much problems with healing at all, one of my last scars widened a bit and after my stitches came out, a steri strip had to be applied but it healed OK, I do have to spend longer in recovery though (i.e. if you are supposed to be non-weightbearing for 4 weeks I usually am for 6-8 weeks+, same with slings etc, and be very carefulw ith post op physio (I am still over a year after my surgery not allowed to do most of the post op PT that everyone else was supposed to start 2 weeks after there surgeries).

If you need the surgery, you need the surgery, look up what precautions to take and take things easy after the surgery.

How you will react will depend on how your skin and internals are, do you normally have healing issues (with cuts and things etc).

My open (yep - even worse) op was originally Laparoscopic. As a result, in between my two large navel scars and in my belly button I have the original small incisions. The belly broke through a stitch or two a couple of hours of the operation, but apart from a slightly odd shaped scar - that didn't cause any major problems, since they made sure to clean it and redress it when they saw it the morning after.

I also had an incredibly long healing time. I was still getting the first batch of pains in september (Op was May 21st 2007) and as is already known to most of you, the operation doesn't seem to have held, since I spent five weeks on Codeine and Tramadol until I bought my cane (Which, along with better management of my condition, has reduced my pain.)

Don't get up, the night after your surgery. Stay laid down flat unless a Doctor tells you otherwise. If you need to sit up, ask for help. Be extremely careful with what you do for a couple of months after the surgery. It only takes lifting one CRT Monitor to rip yourself a new hole - literally.

I've had multiple laps... The only thing is the scars are kinda separated... Like if I run my fingers over the holes they just feel like they only have a piece of skin covering my innerds... But they healed alot better than my "kinfe-ectomy" wound (long story... passed out on a paring knife and needed emergency surgery that has resulted in 3 inch long keloid that took months to close fully)... I wouldn't worry too much. I'm notorious for not healing up, and my holes each time (have had 3, appendix, gallbladder, explore) GREAT... Just lil scabbies by the time the tape was peeling. If you need it I wouldn't hesistate... Although I will say that my gyn won't do the lap for my endo unless the depo stops working... He doesn't want to add to scarring... But it's your health... Done rambling...
Lex