Laparoscopy

Removing a kidney used to involve a foot long incision extending from the side around the back, the removal of a rib, and very lengthy recovery times.  Now it's usually done by laparoscope.  It's not quite like removing a gall bladder or an appendix, when they are removing an infected organ and don't care if it is removed damaged.  A donated organ must be removed carefully and undamaged. 

A few tiny incisions are made below the bikini line for a camera and instruments.  A larger incision is made through the navel that the surgeon can reach his hand into, carefully extracting the kidney by hand so as to minimize the risk of damage.

The idea of someone making a tiny hole and cutting out a major organ by camera view is scary.  What if he cuts the wrong thing?  What if, somehow, the lack of sightline creates unforeseen complications.  Worse, what if the lack of sight means no one notices the mistake until days or weeks later, when my body is not healing and eventually they have to make a big hole and look around. 

My tubal ligation was a laparoscopic surgery, and I didn't worry as much at the time.  But once my baby got older and I started sleeping more regularly, I was retro-actively terrified--what if he had cut a urinary tract instead of a Fallopian tube? among other fears.

I'd almost rather have a giant hole the surgeon can see through.  I realize this is an irrational fear, but I'm not censoring my thoughts and fears here.  (I am censoring spelling and grammar, I hope.)