Laparoscopy in the Female
Alternate Names : Bandaid Surgery, Belly Button Surgery, Pelvic Laparoscopy, Peritoneoscopy, Celioscopy, Diagnostic Laparoscopy, Exploratory Laparoscopy
A laparoscopy is any surgical procedure that uses a
laparoscope. A laparoscope is a thin tube attached to a light source that is
inserted through a small incision in the belly button.
With it, a doctor can see the pelvic and abdominal organs.
Who is a candidate for the procedure?
The goal of laparoscopy is to find the cause of a problem
without making a big cut or incision in the upper or lower abdomen. If
a pelvic or abdominal ultrasound has shown something abnormal,
laparoscopy is often used to confirm the findings. A woman may need
a laparoscopy for many reasons. Some symptoms that may lead to the
procedure include:
chronic pelvic pain that a doctor suspects is from a pelvic infection;
endometriosis, which is a condition where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows
outside the uterus, resulting in pain and/or infertility; or ovarian cysts
infertility, which causes a woman to have a hard time getting pregnant
A doctor may also use laparoscopy to remove these organs
or growths:
hernia
gallbladder
appendix
small fibroids, which are benign or non-cancerous tumors of the uterus
A doctor may use this procedure to diagnose,
evaluate, or treat these conditions:
a hole, tear, or puncture in the uterus that occurred after a
dilatation and curettage.
This is a procedure in which the inside lining of the uterus is scraped with a special
instrument.
a hole, tear, or puncture in the uterus from hysteroscopy,
which is a procedure where a thin tube with a light source is inserted
through the vagina in order to see inside the uterus
a hole, tear, or puncture in the uterus from placement of a birth control device
called an IUD
endometriosis, which is the growth of uterine tissue outside of the
uterus
small growths in the ovaries called cysts
unruptured ectopic pregnancy,
which occurs when a baby implants and grows outside the uterus
the presence of fluid in the abdomen, which could be due to blood,
ascites, or cancer cells
a pelvic mass
an unexplained abnormal liver scan
A doctor may also use this procedure for these reasons:
to follow-up after surgery for ovarian cancer
to aid in a sterilization procedure called tubal ligation, which keeps the woman from
becoming pregnant
to treat scar tissue, called adhesions, in the pelvic area
How is the procedure performed?
First, the woman receives general anesthesia. This relaxes
the abdominal muscles, leads to a deep sleep, and prevents the sensation
of pain. Then, the doctor makes a small cut below her belly button. The
doctor puts the laparoscope through this cut. Then, the doctor inflates the
abdominal cavity with 2 to 5 liters of carbon dioxide gas. This
helps the doctor see the organs in the region. Next, the doctor makes
one to three smaller cuts on the lower abdomen. These are used for
instruments that might be needed to hold an organ, to take a biopsy sample,
or to apply a laser to any lesions.
The doctor also uses the laparoscope to see the
following parts of the body:
uterus
fallopian tubes
ovaries
bladder
intestines
liver
spleen
appendix
surfaces of the abdominal cavities themselves
After the doctor has viewed or removed what is needed, the
cuts are closed with stitches. These may heal by themselves or may
need to be removed in the doctor's office a week later. The procedure
usually takes about an hour. The woman stays in a recovery
room for one to three hours while anesthesia wears off. Sometimes,
the woman may need to stay overnight in the hospital if she has trouble
waking up or if there are any complications.
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