Laparoscopy is the medical terminology for “keyhole surgery”. It is also referred to as “Minimally Invasive Surgery” (MIS), and in Gynaecology, it is sometimes referred to as “Minimally Invasive Gynaecology”. It allows the surgeon to both diagnose as well as treat diseases inside the abdomen and pelvis. There are many advantages of this type of surgery (compared to traditional “open” surgery where a long incision is made into the abdomen):
- Faster recovery and return to work and normal activities;
- Shorter hospital stay (and often surgery can be performed as day procedures);
- Better cosmetic result (small 5mm incisions are made in the abdomen, and only 1-4 of these are required depending on the complexity of the procedure, and one of these incisions can be hidden within the belly button); and
- Better vision for the surgeon (allowing more accurate diagnosis and precision of treatment).
Laparoscopic keyhole surgery
Gynaecologists were the original pioneers of human laparoscopic surgery, with the first diagnostic laparoscopy performed in the early 1950s. The principles have remained the same, but the instruments and video equipment have progressively improved over time, and Dr Ken Law now uses the latest ultra high definition video laparoscope and many modern versatile instruments which allow him to perform surgical procedures safely and efficiently.
In Gynaecology, laparoscopy allows a direct and magnified view of the entire abdominal cavity and pelvis, enabling any diseases of the ovaries, uterus and Fallopian tubes to be identified. It may even allow subtle diseases and lesions to be seen, which may otherwise have been missed in traditional open surgery.
An extremely bright light is conducted via a fibre optic cable connected to the laparoscope, which is a long thin instrument that can be inserted inside the abdominal cavity, and an ultra high definition live video is displayed to the surgeon and his assistant. Click on the video below to see what a gynaecological laparoscopy involves:
Dr Ken Law is a gynaecologist in Brisbane who specialises in the use of keyhole surgery (laparoscopy) to treat gynaecological conditions. His philosophy is to use the least minimally invasive method to achieve the best outcomes for his patients. His patients benefit from a more rapid recovery, and a much better cosmetic result.
Dr Ken Law has a particular interest in using keyhole surgery for:
- Endometriosis resection
- Removal of uterus (hysterectomy) – total or subtotal
- Removal of ovarian cysts
- Removal of ovaries and/or Fallopian tubes
- Removal of fibroids (Laparoscopic Myomectomy)
- Removal of adhesions
- Re-anastomosis of Fallopian tubes
- Sterilisation (tubal ligation)
Dr Ken Law is also one of the first gynaecologists in Brisbane offering keyhole robotic surgery. Robotic surgery is particularly useful for myomectomy to remove large fibroids, and for hysterectomy in women with large fibroid uterus.
