How is Laparoscopic Intestinal Surgery Performed?
Laparoscopic surgery begins by inflating the abdomen with a harmless gas through a small incision. The gas lifts the abdomen away from the organs below to provide the surgeon with a clear view of the medical problem. A thin, telescope-like instrument known as a laparoscope is then inserted through a small incision at the umbilicus (“bellybutton”). The laparoscope is connected to a tiny video camera – smaller than a dime – which projects the view of the abdominal cavity onto television screens in the operating room. Small surgical instruments may then be passed through one or more additional half-inch incisions to clip, cut, separate, seal, or remove the source of the patient’s problem. The gas is then released from the abdominal cavity and the incisions are closed.
