Diagnostic laparoscopy

The procedure is usually done in the hospital or outpatient surgical center under general anesthesia (while you are asleep and pain-free). The procedure is performed in the following way: The surgeon makes a small cut (incision) below the belly button. A needle or hollow tube called a trocar is inserted into the…

Follow instructions on not eating and drinking before surgery. You may need to stop taking medicines, including narcotic pain relievers, on or before the day of the exam. Do not change or stop taking any medicines without first talking to your surgeon. Follow any other instructions for how to prepare for the procedure.

You will feel no pain during the procedure. Afterward, the incisions may be sore. Your surgeon may prescribe a pain reliever. You may also have shoulder pain for a few days. The gas used during the procedure can irritate the diaphragm, which shares some of the same nerves as the shoulder. You may also have an…

Diagnostic laparoscopy is often done for the following: Find the cause of pain or a growth in the abdomen and pelvic area when x-ray or ultrasound results aren't clear. After an accident to see if there is injury to any organs in the abdomen. Before procedures to treat cancer to find out if the cancer has spread. If…

The laparoscopy is normal if there is no blood in the abdomen, no hernias , no intestinal obstruction, and no cancer in any visible organs. The uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries are of normal size, shape, and color. The liver is normal.

Abnormal results may be due to a number of different conditions, including: Scar tissue inside the abdomen or pelvis ( adhesions ) Appendicitis Cells from inside the uterus growing in other areas ( endometriosis ) Inflammation of the gallbladder ( cholecystitis ) Ovarian cysts or cancer of the ovary Infection of the…

There is a risk for infection. You may get antibiotics to prevent this complication. There is a risk of puncturing an organ. This could cause the contents of the intestines to leak. There may also be bleeding into the abdominal cavity. These complications could require immediate open surgery to treat them ( laparotomy…

Falcone T, Walters MD. Diagnostic laparoscopy. In: Baggish MS, Karram MM, eds. Atlas of Pelvic Anatomy and Gynecologic Surgery . 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 113. Paterson HM. The acute abdomen. In: Garden OJ, Parks RW, Wigmore SJ, eds. Principles and Practice of Surgery . Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier;…