Dr. Praveen Kumar

Laparoscopy is used to diagnose a number of ailments such as ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and pelvic inflammatory diseases to name a few.

It is a type of surgery, which involves the usage of small tubes, surgical instruments and video cameras for operations through small incisions or cuts in your body.

Even though laparoscopy is a very popular form of surgery, there are quite a few myths associated with it, which are:

1. Myth: If you've undergone multiple abdominal surgeries in the past, you can't opt for a laparoscopy: The truth is that you can go for a laparoscopy even if you've gone through multiple surgeries previously, irrespective of the location or size of the previous incisions. This is done through the use of a special instrument, called a microlaparscope that enables safe entry into the abdomen of the patient.
2. Myth: If you're overweight or underweight, you can't undergo a laparoscopy: No matter if you're obese or too thin, you can still undergo a laparoscopy as the tools used for this surgical procedure are available in different lengths and sizes, and can be adjusted as per the body type of the patient before the incision is made.
3. Myth: The images taken through a laparoscope are of poor quality: This is not true. In fact, the visuals obtained through a laparoscope are clearer and much more accurate when compared to those obtained via an open surgery. The visuals of a video laparoscopy provide a detailed magnification of even those parts of the area that are inaccessible by the human eye.

Though different people experience the surgery differently due to difference in health conditions, there are some points everyone should know about a laparoscopic surgery.

1. The problems that laparoscopy addresses: Conditions like ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disorders are generally treated using laparoscopic surgery. Moreover, laparoscopy is also used to remove the gallbladder, appendix, patches of endometriosis or detect adhesions, fibroids and cysts. Also a biopsy of the organs inside the abdomen can be done through laparoscopy.
2. The duration of your stay in hospital: Usually performed on an outpatient basis (release on the same day as the surgery), a laparoscopic surgery may require you to stay overnight at the hospital if your condition requires a complex or lengthy surgery. Moreover, if the doctor feels that a bowel resection or partial bowel resection needs to be performed, you may have to stay at the hospital for a few days. Consult an expert & get answers to your questions!