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Laparoscopy -- Miniaturization pays off big

In the 1980s surgery was revolutionized by laparoscopy, an approach to some procedures that uses a fiberoptic video camera to visualize the inner body without the need for long incisions. This approach results in a shorter, less painful recovery for most patients.

During a laparoscopic procedure, a slender illuminating laparoscope equipped with a tiny video camera is inserted through a small incision, giving the surgeon a view of the inner body through the scope and on a video monitor. Miniaturized surgical instruments are then passed through other small incisions and manipulated within the body. The patient often goes home the same day with the incisions covered by small bandages.

Many surgical tasks can be performed with the aid of the laparoscope. In addition to imaging parts of the body for examination, tissue can be vaporized, cut, cauterized, or removed for biopsy. Among the most common laparoscopic procedures are removal of the gallbladder, called a cholecystectomy, appendectomies, and hernia repairs. A laparoscopic procedure called a Nissen fundoplication is used to treat chronic heartburn. Orthopedic procedures, such as those commonly done on knees and shoulders, are often done with an arthroscope. Procedures that once involved an extended inpatient stay are now often performed on an outpatient basis, with the patient ready to go home just hours later.