n.
or peritoneoscopy
Procedure for inspecting the abdominal cavity using a laparoscope; also surgery requiring use of a laparoscope.
Laparoscopes use fibre-optic lights and small video cameras to show tissues and organs on a monitor. Laparoscopic surgical procedures include gallbladder, appendix, and tumour removal; tubal ligation; and hysterectomy. After carbon dioxide is pumped in to expand the space for the instruments, small incisions are made and the laparoscope and instruments inserted. Less invasive than traditional (open) surgery, laparoscopy reduces postoperative pain, recovery time, and length of hospital stay.