Laparoscopy

What is laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy is a form of minimally invasive surgery. Your Gen 5 Fertility Center surgeon makes a small abdominal incision and inserts the laparoscope — a thin and bendable tube with a light and a tiny camera.

Using images sent by the laparoscope’s camera, your surgeon can view your internal organs on a monitor in the operating room. That makes the large incisions typical of open surgery unnecessary. That has numerous benefits, including:

• Less bleeding
• Lower risk of infection
• Less postsurgical pain
• Faster recovery
• Smaller scars

It’s often possible for people to go home the same day as their laparoscopy.

Why would I need a laparoscopy?

The Gen 5 Fertility Center team uses laparoscopy to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the reproductive organs and causing reduced fertility.

The team uses laparoscopic instruments that fit through additional small incisions to remove fibroids and scar tissue. They can also extract adhesions (areas where organs and tissues stick together) caused by endometriosis.

What does laparoscopy involve?

Laparoscopy typically takes place under general anesthetic, so you’ll be asleep throughout the procedure.

Your surgeon makes the incision in your abdomen and inserts a needle into your abdominal cavity. They inject carbon dioxide gas to expand the space and lift your organs. That enables your surgeon to insert the laparoscope safely.

Next, they view your organs with the laparoscope, looking for abnormalities. If they need to remove tissue samples or growths, they use additional instruments inserted through other small incisions.

To highlight any problems, your surgeon might inject a contrast material. That is a dye that makes abnormal tissue (such as endometrial lesions) easier to find. After completing treatment, your surgeon removes the instruments and laparoscope.

What happens after my laparoscopy?

Following your laparoscopy, you go to the recovery area while the anesthetic wears off. In most cases, you can go home afterward but have someone drive you as you need the rest of the day to recover.

Any tissue the Gen 5 Fertility Center team removes goes to the lab for analysis. They report the findings to you and discuss any further steps.

Because laparoscopy is minimally invasive, healing only takes a few weeks. Your provider gives you instructions on caring for the wounds and activities to avoid while you heal.

For more information on laparoscopy and its role in fertility treatment, call Gen 5 Fertility Center today or book an appointment online.