Operative Laparoscopy
Operative laparoscopy treats through small incisions what once required the abdomen to be opened. Endometriosis is excised, adhesions divided, ectopic pregnancies removed. Recovery is measured in days rather than weeks, and the magnified view is often better than the naked eye.
- Incisions of about a centimetre
- Magnified view of the pelvis
- Home within a day or two
- Far less pain than open surgery
Stay
Day care to 2 days
Duration
45 minutes to 2 hours
Anaesthesia
General
About Operative Laparoscopy
The same conditions that used to need a large incision are now treated through three or four small ones. For endometriosis in particular, the magnification allows deposits to be seen and excised that would be missed at open surgery. The limitation is not usually the disease but the anatomy: extensive adhesions occasionally make an open approach safer.
- Magnification often shows more than open surgery does
- Recovery is days rather than weeks
- Extensive adhesions occasionally require converting to open surgery
- Excision is generally preferred to ablation for endometriosis
Before you read on
Everything here is general information about operative laparoscopy. Whether it suits you, and how it would be done in your case, is a decision for your doctor after examining you.
Your consultant's instructions always take precedence over anything written on this page.
When is it recommended?
Situations in which a doctor may suggest operative laparoscopy.
- Endometriosis needing surgical treatment
- Ovarian cysts requiring removal
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Pelvic adhesions causing pain
- Fibroids suitable for keyhole removal
- Tubal surgery including sterilisation
- Chronic pelvic pain with a treatable cause found
Procedure details
The usual sequence, from first consultation through to follow-up.
Assessment and planning
Examination, imaging and a clear discussion of what will be done, what may be found, and what you consent to.
Surgery
Three or four small incisions, the abdomen inflated with gas, and the condition treated with fine instruments under camera guidance.
Recovery
Most women are up within hours and home the same day or the next, with small dressings and oral pain relief.
Follow-up
Findings and any histology are discussed at a follow-up, with an ongoing plan where the condition needs long-term management.
How to prepare
What to sort out before you come in.
- Fasting from midnight, or as instructed
- Discuss beforehand what should be done if unexpected findings arise
- Tell the team about previous abdominal or pelvic surgery
- Arrange help at home for the first few days
- Bring all previous imaging and operation notes
Recovery
What to expect afterwards, and roughly when.
- Shoulder tip pain from the gas for a day or two is normal
- Most women return to desk work within one to two weeks
- Avoid heavy lifting for two to four weeks depending on what was done
- Light bleeding for a few days is common after pelvic surgery
- Endometriosis often needs medical treatment afterwards to prevent recurrence
Why choose Humayun for operative laparoscopy
Keyhole gynaecological surgery is better when the team does it routinely and is honest about when it does not suit.
- Laparoscopic approach as the default for gynaecological surgery rather than the exception
- Excision preferred to ablation for endometriosis, since it treats the disease rather than the surface
- Honest assessment when open surgery would be safer, explained before you consent
- Medical treatment planned afterwards where the condition recurs without it
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