Laparoscopy is an examination of the abdominal cavity using a fiberoptic instrument inserted through the abdominal wall. This is a surgical procedure done in an operating room.
People are given medications by vein (intravenously) to make them unconscious (general anesthesia General anesthesia Surgery is the term traditionally used to describe procedures (called surgical procedures) that involve manually cutting or stitching tissue to treat diseases, injuries, or deformities. However... read more ) before the procedure.
After the appropriate area of the skin is washed with an antiseptic, a small incision is made, usually in the navel. Then a laparoscope is passed into the abdominal cavity, which is then inflated with gas to make it easier to see. A doctor can look for tumors or other abnormalities, examine nearly any organ in the abdominal cavity, take tissue samples, and even do surgery.
Complications of laparoscopy include bleeding, infection, and perforation Perforation of the Digestive Tract Any of the hollow digestive organs may become perforated (punctured), which causes a release of intestinal contents and can lead to sepsis (a life-threatening infection of the bloodstream) and... read more .
