Definition

Laparoscopy is a term given to a group of operations that are performed with the aid of a camera placed in the abdomen. Originally, the laparoscope was used during surgical removal of the gallbladder (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) and appendix (laparoscopic appendectomy). Additionally, exploratory laparoscopy has often been used for diagnostic purposes to view the abdomen after abdominal trauma and in cases of abdominal illness.

Now the laparoscope also allows physicians to perform minimally invasive surgery with just a small incision in the abdomen. This technology, known as laparoscopic assisted surgery, enables the minimally invasive removal of the colon, the kidney (for living donors in kidney transplants), and weight reducing procedures such as gastric bypass and vertical banding gastroplasty (VBG).

Finally, large operations such as liver and pancreatic resections may begin with laparoscopy to exclude the presence of additional tumors (metastatic disease) that would preclude curative resection. For complex laparoscopic operations, patients should consult with their primary health care provider to find a center of excellence in the specific operation.

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