Laparoscopy
When it comes to surgery, less invasive options are simply better for you. With a minimally invasive surgical method, patients have a reduced risk of infection and bleeding, experience a faster recovery, and enjoy much less post-op pain or scarring. It’s why a laparoscopy is such a popular option for so many gynecological procedures.
A laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that avoids any unnecessary harm to healthy tissue surrounding the surgical site. During a laparoscopy, your surgeon gains access to the pelvic region via small incisions made in or around your belly button – instead of one large incision across your abdomen. Miniature, technologically advanced equipment is then used to see inside the body and carry out a variety of surgical procedures.
What a Laparoscopy Is Used For
Your physician may recommend a laparoscopy to diagnose and treat a wide variety of OB-GYN conditions, including:
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Ectopic pregnancy (“tubal pregnancy”)
- Pelvic organ prolapse
Laparoscopic procedures can successfully address common OB-GYN symptoms like heavy periods, pelvic pain, and infertility.
Examples of the types of surgical procedures that can be done laparoscopically include:
- Endometrial ablation
- Laparoscopic myomectomy (to remove fibroids)
- Laparoscopic hysterectomy (to remove the uterus)
- Robotic-assisted hysterectomy
- Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH)
- Tubal ligation (a permanent form of birth control)
Ask your Women’s HealthFirst OB-GYN provider if a laparoscopy is right for you.
What to Expect During a Laparoscopy
A laparoscopy is performed while a patient is under general anesthesia, and so is performed at a surgery center or hospital. However, because it’s a minimally invasive procedure, it can most often be done on an outpatient basis, allowing you to return home the same day as the surgery.
During the procedure, your surgeon will make one or more small incisions at or near the belly button, and gas used to inflate the abdomen for better viewing during the surgery. A laparoscope – a long, slender device with a light and camera – is inserted through an incision to allow your doctor to view the organs and tissue inside your pelvis on a computer screen in the operating room.
If other specialized equipment is needed, it may be inserted via another small incision, or occasionally, through the same incision as the laparoscope. In some cases, an instrument called a uterine manipulator may be inserted through the vaginal canal to move the organs into view during a laparoscopy.
In many cases, you will be able to resume your normal activities within a few days. For hysterectomies, it may take a couple weeks to recover after a laparoscopy. Of course, recovery times depend on your health, the condition being treated, and the procedure being performed. Your doctor will best be able to advise you when it is safe to resume regular activities following a laparoscopy.
OB-GYN Laparoscopy Procedures in Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Barrington & Bartlett, IL
Discover the benefits of using a laparoscopic approach by talking to one of the skilled and knowledgeable OB-GYN surgeons at Women’s HealthFirst. Call us at (847) 808-8884 or request a consultation now.
Women’s HealthFirst has five clinics conveniently located throughout northwest suburban Chicago.
