Using this instrument allows the surgeon to see the inside of the abdomen. The laparoscope is a thin, long, rigid tube in which light travels along glass fibers to light up internal organs. A periscope-like attachment allows the surgeon to see into the abdomen and pelvis. Other instruments used with the laparoscope allow the surgeon to take photographs, obtain biopsies of tissue and now, with the addition of the laser, to cut, coagulate or vaporize tissue. Following any laparoscopic procedure, some discomfort is normal and to be expected.
Patients commonly report pain in the shoulders, neck and abdomen.
This may occur because gas used during the procedure to expand the abdomen cannot be fully removed. These symptoms usually resolve within 12-24 hours with bedrest. Some patients develop post-surgical nausea from anesthesia. The incision and stitches may be tender for a few days. Most of these minor discomforts subside quickly.