What Happens during a Laparoscopy?
A surgical oncologist, Dr. Sabha Ganai has several years of experience practicing and teaching medicine. A member of the Consortium of Surgical Ethics’ Board of Directors, Dr. Sabha Ganai maintains various professional certifications, including one in laparoscopic surgery.
A minimally invasive surgical procedure, laparoscopy relies on a device known as a laparoscope (an elongated tube with a bright light and camera at the front) to examine the body’s internal structures. The procedure is recommended when physicians want to diagnose the source of abdominal or pelvic pain and non-invasive diagnostic procedures like MRIs and ultrasounds have proven ineffective. Moreover, laparoscopy can be used to detect the presence of abdominal tumors, fluid in the abdominal cavity, and liver disease.
During a laparoscopy, a patient will first receive anesthesia. After he or she is unconscious, the physician will make an incision of about 2 centimeters right below the patient’s belly button for the insertion of a tube called a cannula to fill the abdomen with carbon dioxide so that organs can be seen more clearly. After the abdomen is inflated, the physician will insert a laparoscope through the incision to transmit images of the patient’s organs to a screen. If the physician wants to take tissue samples for further analysis, he or she can do so using surgical instruments.
A minimally invasive surgical procedure, laparoscopy relies on a device known as a laparoscope (an elongated tube with a bright light and camera at the front) to examine the body’s internal structures. The procedure is recommended when physicians want to diagnose the source of abdominal or pelvic pain and non-invasive diagnostic procedures like MRIs and ultrasounds have proven ineffective. Moreover, laparoscopy can be used to detect the presence of abdominal tumors, fluid in the abdominal cavity, and liver disease.
During a laparoscopy, a patient will first receive anesthesia. After he or she is unconscious, the physician will make an incision of about 2 centimeters right below the patient’s belly button for the insertion of a tube called a cannula to fill the abdomen with carbon dioxide so that organs can be seen more clearly. After the abdomen is inflated, the physician will insert a laparoscope through the incision to transmit images of the patient’s organs to a screen. If the physician wants to take tissue samples for further analysis, he or she can do so using surgical instruments.
