Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic or “minimally invasive” surgery is a specialized technique for performing surgery. It is also known as keyhole or band-aid surgery due to the size of the surgical incisions. In the past, this technique was commonly used for gynaecologic surgery and for gall bladder surgery.

In traditional “open” surgery the surgeon uses a single incision to enter into the abdomen. Laparoscopic surgery uses several 0.5-1cm incisions. Each incision is called a “port.” At each port, a tubular instrument known as a trocar is inserted. Specialized instruments and a special camera known as a laparoscope are passed through the trocars during the procedure.