MedicineNet.com
About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
February 10, 2010
MedicineNet home Picture Slideshows Diseases and conditions Symptoms and signs Procedures and tests Medications Picture Image Collection MedTerms medical dictionary Pet Health
Font Size
A
A
A


Laparoscopy

What is laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy is the use of a viewing tube called a laparoscope to see inside of the abdomen and pelvis. Laparoscopy can be performed for the diagnosis and surgical treatment of conditions within the belly. Through a very small incision in the abdominal cavity instruments can be inserted to perform the various steps in the procedure. The abdominal cavity is distended and made visible by the instillation of absorbable gas (typically, carbon dioxide). Most patients receive general anesthesia during the procedure.

Laparoscopy comes from two Greek words. The first is lapara, which means "the soft parts of the body between the rib margins and hips," or, more simply, the "flank or loin." The other Greek word is skopein, which means "to see or view or examine." Skopein has become -scope in English.

The technique of laparoscopy was developed in the beginning of the 20th century and found use mainly in Europe. The procedure has undergone rapid development in recent years, thanks to the efforts of both European and American surgeons and endoscopists. Laparoscopy has been used for years extensively by gynecologists for the diagnosis of diseases of the ovary and uterus.

What are advantages of laparoscopy?

The advantages of laparoscopy include a much shortened post-operative period and less post-operative pain. The avoidance of large abdominal incisions decreases some of the post-operative complications related to the heart and lungs. In addition, recent studies show decreased mortality with some laparoscopic procedures, such as cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder), as compared to the old open surgical procedures.

Laparoscopic surgery entered a new era in the late 1980s when removal of the gallbladder by laparoscopic techniques was developed, again by European surgeons. Fiberoptic instruments and video cameras have come to allow procedures on the smallest of structures.

Today, the use of laparoscopy has been extended to surgical procedures involving the appendix, colon, uterus, repair of hiatal hernias, and more. The procedure has come full circle from one of diagnosis to what is now known as "minimally invasive" surgery.


Last Editorial Review: 1/31/2005 8:21:40 AM






Suggested Reading by Our Doctors
MedicineNet Doctors
  • Appendectomy - Learn what the appendix is, complications, symptoms, diagnosis of appendicitis, and how an appendectomy is done
  • Abdominal Pain - Learn about abdominal pain (pain in the stomach / abdomen) including causes, symptoms, how abdominal pain is diagnosed, and how abdominal pain is treated.
  • Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy - Read about laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a surgery to remove gallbladder. Benefits of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a shorter recovery time.

Latest Medical News


Women's Health

Find out what women really need.


Are you Depressed? Take the Quiz

Your Guide to Symptoms & Signs: Pinpoint Your Pain













Health categories:

Slideshows | Diseases & Conditions | Symptoms & Signs | Procedures & Tests | Medications | Image Collection | Medical Dictionary | Pet Health

Popular health centers:

Allergies | Arthritis | Blood Pressure | Cancer | Chronic Pain | Cold & Flu | Diabetes | Digestion | Eyesight | Health & Living | Healthy Kids

Hearing & Ear | Heart | Infectious Disease | Men's Health | Mental Health | News & Views | Pregnancy | Sexual Health | Skin | Women's Health | More...

MedicineNet.com:

About Us | Newsletters | RSS Feeds | Privacy Policy | Site Map | WebMD® | Medscape® | eMedicine® | eMedicineHealth® | RxList®

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.

©1996-2010 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Notices and Legal Disclaimer.
MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.