Laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopic surgery, also called keyhole surgery (when natural body openings are not used) or minimally invasive surgery (MIS), is a surgical technique. Medically laproscopic surgery refers only to operations within the abdomen or pelvic cavity.

Using fibre optic technology, video cameras (videoscopic procedures using a laparoscope or endoscope) and long, thin instruments, the size of incision a surgeon needs in order to see what he is doing can be reduced. Rather than a 20cm cut in a cholecystectomy[?], a number of 5-15 mm cuts can be sufficient, the abdomen is insufflated and the endoscopic camera is put in through the navel and the instruments through small incisions.

This approach hopefully minimises operative blood loss and post-operative pain, and speeds recovery times. However the restricted vision, difficult handling of the instruments (hand-eye coordination), lack of tactile perception and the limited working area can increase the possibility of damage to surrounding organs and vessels, either accidentally or through the difficultly of procedures.