Diagnostic Laparoscopy

Diagnostic laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgery procedure in which your surgeon uses a laparoscope (telescopic, high definition camera) to view the inside of the body. It is the same camera that we use to guide us during our minimally invasive surgical procedures.

This “second look” procedure, allows our surgeons to gain information about the status of a previously treated condition, such as cancer, or as a preliminary examination before conducting a more invasive exploration of certain parts of the body.

Why Do We Perform Diagnostic Laparoscopy?

Patients who complain of chronic or acute abdominal pain may not have all the hallmarks of one particular condition over another. Rather than performing a full surgical operation in a wait and see fashion, diagnostic laparoscopy allows us to visually inspect the abdomen. Combined with a comprehensive medical history, diagnostic laparoscopy can offer us a clear picture of the condition. For others, the diagnostic laparoscopy can serve as confirmation of status of a previously performed procedure.

Diagnostic laparoscopy can be useful for:

• Unknown abdominal pain
• Confirming the diagnosis of abdominal masses
• Following up on a previous procedure
• Staging cancer
• Visualizing liver disease
• Viewing potential risks and complexities before an abdominal operation

Considerations of a Diagnostic Laparoscopy

Diagnostic laparoscopy is a surgical procedure involving certain considerations and risks. We try to limit the performance of an invasive diagnostic procedure to times when non-invasive testing does not offer a definitive diagnosis or confirmation. However, due to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure, risks are generally very low.