A laparoscopy may be used to diagnose or treat many different conditions.
Small surgical instruments and devices can be attached to the laparoscope to perform surgical procedures.
Diagnosing conditions
It is often possible to diagnose a condition using non-invasive methods, such as an ultrasound scan, a computerised tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. However, sometimes the only way to confirm a diagnosis is to directly study the affected part of the body using a laparoscope.
Laparoscopies are now widely used to diagnose many different conditions and investigate certain symptoms. For example, they may be used in cases such as:
A laparoscopy can also be used to diagnose certain types of cancers. In such cases, the laparoscope is used to obtain a sample of suspected cancerous tissue so that it can be sent to a laboratory for testing. This is known as a biopsy.
Cancers that can be diagnosed using a laparoscopy include:
Treating conditions
Types of laparoscopic surgery used to treat certain conditions include:
- removal of an inflamed appendix in cases of appendicitis, where it is thought that the risk of the appendix bursting is high
- removing the gallbladder, which is often used to treat gallstones
- removing a section of the intestine, which is often used to treat digestive conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or diverticulitis, that do not respond to medication
- repairing hernias
- repairing bleeding stomach ulcers
- carrying out a female sterilisation
- treating ectopic pregnancy (it is usually necessary to remove the embryo to prevent damage to the fallopian tubes)
- treating fibroids (non-cancerous growths on or inside the womb)
- removing the womb (hysterectomy), which is sometimes used to treat pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometriosis, heavy periods or painful periods
- removing some or all of an organ that has been affected by cancer, such as the ovaries, prostate, liver, colon, kidney or bladder
