Laparoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that allows the doctor to look directly at the female reproductive organs: the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It is used to detect pelvic and reproductive abnormalities such as endometriosis, tubal pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease or other causes of pelvic pain; or to determine the extent of cancer. It may also be used to perform a tubal ligation (sterilization).
Procedure:
You will be instructed to fast for at least 8 hours before the procedure.
This procedure, done with local or general anesthesia, (local - a numbing medicine injected at the site; general - you will be put to sleep) is usually performed in a hospital, but may be done on an outpatient basis.
A catheter (thin, flexible plastic tube that drains urine from your bladder) is inserted into the bladder and a small incision is made in the abdomen just below the navel to allow insertion of the laparoscope, a rigid fiberoptic tube.
A harmless gas may be used to expand the abdominal wall and allow more room for the doctor to see and maneuver the scope.
A dye may be used to check for obstructions in the fallopian tubes.
The procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes.
Risks:
There is a small risk of bleeding or infection caused by introducing the laparoscope through the abdominal wall.
There is also a slight risk of puncturing or rupturing internal organs with the scope.
There may be some pain in the shoulder area until all the gas is eliminated from the body.
