The lighted laparoscope is then inserted into the abdomen. Two other small incisions may be made in the abdomen so additional surgical instruments, such as a probe to move organs, can be used during the surgery.
Many surgeons also attach a video camera to the laparoscope to enlarge the view, allowing the entire surgical team to see the procedure. During the laparoscopy, the doctor examines the pelvic organs, looking for obvious and atypical endometriosis lesions as well as endometriomas endometriosis-filled cysts , adhesions , and scarring.
Depending on your history and symptoms, the doctor may also look for fibroid tumours or other abnormalities. Other procedures, such as a hysteroscopy an examination of the inside of the uterus may also be performed. Diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis may take place during the same procedure. Your doctor may also remove the lesions to send to a lab for biopsy. This will document the presence or absence of endometriosis. Laparoscopy is usually done on an outpatient basis, although an overnight stay may be required if the surgery is complex or lengthy.
If a bowel resection or partial bowel resection is performed, your hospital stay may be extended by several days. Almost everyone has some fears about surgery. We may worry about the risks, the anaesthesia, the pain, or what the surgeon may or may not find. If you are afraid of the pain, ask your doctor exactly how your pain will be managed.
Many women have found that relaxation tapes before, during, and after surgery also help allay fears. Pack very loose clothing to wear after surgery, preferably something without a waistband. An oversized pullover dress is ideal. You may also want to take mini-pads, socks, and slip-on shoes or house slippers. The surgeon often orders a bowel prep the evening before surgery. The process varies, but usually includes a liquid diet and various preparations to evacuate your bowels. This is not a pleasant process, but it is necessary if any bowel work is anticipated.
For more information, see our article about how to survive a bowel prep. When you come out of the anaesthesia in the recovery room, you may be in some pain. If so, be sure to speak up so your pain can be properly managed. These are common side effects of the anaesthetic and should pass quickly. You'll be monitored by a nurse for a few hours until you're fully awake and able to eat, drink and pass urine. Before you leave hospital, you'll be told how to keep your wounds clean and when to return for a follow-up appointment or have your stitches removed although dissolvable stitches are often used.
For a few days after the procedure, you're likely to feel some pain and discomfort where the incisions were made, and you may also have a sore throat if a breathing tube was used. You'll be given painkilling medication to help ease the pain. Some of the gas used to inflate your abdomen can remain inside your abdomen after the procedure, which can cause:. These symptoms are nothing to worry about and should pass after a day or so, once your body has absorbed the remaining gas.
In the days or weeks after the procedure, you'll probably feel more tired than usual, as your body is using a lot of energy to heal itself. Taking regular naps may help. The time it takes to recover from laparoscopy is different for everybody. It depends on factors such as the reason the procedure was carried out whether it was used to diagnose or treat a condition , your general health and if any complications develop. If you've had laparoscopy to diagnose a condition, you'll probably be able to resume your normal activities within 5 days.
The recovery period after laparoscopy to treat a condition depends on the type of treatment. After minor surgery, such as appendix removal, you may be able to resume normal activities within 3 weeks. Following major surgery, such as removal of your ovaries or kidney because of cancer , the recovery time may be as long as 12 weeks.
You will be advised not to eat or drink for at least 8 hours before a laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is usually done under general anesthesia , although you can stay awake if you have local or spinal anesthetic. A gynecologist or surgeon performs the procedure. For a laparoscopy, the abdomen is inflated with gas carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide. The gas, which is injected with a needle, pushes the abdominal wall away from the organs so that the surgeon can see them clearly.
The surgeon then inserts a laparoscope through a small incision and examines the internal organs. Additional incisions may be used to insert instruments to move internal organs and structures for better viewing.
The procedure usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. If endometriosis or scar tissue needs to be removed, your surgeon will use one of various techniques, including cutting and removing tissue excision or destroying it with a laser beam or electric current electrocautery. After the procedure, the surgeon closes the abdominal incisions with a few stitches.
Usually there is little or no scarring. Laparoscopy is usually done at an outpatient facility. Sometimes a surgery requires a hospital stay of 1 day. You will likely be able to return to your normal activities in 1 week, maybe longer. Laparoscopy is used to examine the pelvic organs and to remove implants and scar tissue. This procedure is typically used for checking and treating:. Directly viewing the pelvic organs is the only way to confirm whether you have endometriosis.
But this is not always needed. For suspected endometriosis, hormone therapy is often prescribed. As with hormone therapy, surgery relieves endometriosis pain for most women. But it does not guarantee long-lasting results. Some studies have shown:. Some studies suggest that using hormone therapy after surgery can make the pain-free period longer by preventing the growth of new or returning endometriosis.
Most patients are able to shower the day after surgery and begin all normal activities within a week. Your surgeon can answer any specific restrictions that apply to you. Any procedure may have complications associated with it. The most frequent complications of any operation are bleeding and infection. There is a small risk of other complications that include, but are not limited to, injury to the abdominal organs, intestines, urinary bladder or blood vessels.
If you suffer with ascites, this ascites may leak from one of the operative sites, temporarily, before stopping. In a small number of patients the laparoscopic method cannot be performed. The decision to perform the open procedure is a judgment decision made by your surgeon either before or during the actual operation if the surgeon feels that it is safest to convert the laparoscopic procedure to an open one, this is not a complication, but rather sound surgical judgment.
The decision to convert to an open procedure is strictly based on patient safety. This brochure is not intended to take the place of your discussion with your surgeon about the need for a diagnostic laparoscopy. If you have questions about the operation or subsequent follow-up, please discuss them with your surgeon before or after the operation.
Healthy Sooner: Patient Information. Preparation for the Procedure. What to Expect During the Procedure.
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