Diagnostic Laparoscopy
for Chronic Pelvic Pain
What is a diagnostic laparoscopy?
A diagnostic laparoscopy is a procedure in which the doctor
uses a laparoscope to look at the organs and tissues in your
abdomen. A laparoscope is a thin tube with a tiny camera.
When is it used?
You may have a laparoscopy because you have chronic pain in
the abdominal area. Chronic pain is pain that has lasted a
long time.
Examples of alternatives to this procedure are:
-
trying other procedures, such as abdominal surgery
-
having various x-rays
-
choosing not to have the procedure and not to have the
information about your condition that laparoscopy might
provide.
You should ask your doctor about these choices.
How do I prepare for a diagnostic laparoscopy?
Plan for your care and recovery after the procedure. Allow
for time to rest and try to find other people to help you
with your day-to-day duties.
Follow instructions provided by your doctor. Eat a light
meal, such as soup or salad, the night before the procedure.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight or the morning
before the procedure. Do not even drink coffee, tea, or
water.
What happens during the procedure?
You are given a general anesthetic, which relaxes your
muscles, puts you to sleep, and prevents you from feeling
pain.
Your peritoneal cavity, which holds most of your abdominal
and pelvic organs, is inflated with carbon dioxide gas.
This expands your peritoneal cavity like a balloon and helps
the doctor see your organs. The doctor makes a small cut in
or just below your bellybutton and puts a laparoscope
through the cut. The doctor may put another tool through a
small cut elsewhere in your abdomen. The laparoscope is
used to look at the abdominal organs and tissues and to
guide the other tool. If the doctor finds a growth that
should not be there, he or she may use the tool to take a
sample of the growth or remove it. Then the doctor removes
the laparoscope and the tool and sews up the openings in the
abdominal wall and bellybutton area. The sample of tissue
is sent to the lab for tests.
What happens after the procedure?
You may stay in the hospital several hours or overnight to
recover. The anesthetic may cause sleepiness or grogginess
for a while. You may have some shoulder pain, feel bloated,
or notice a change in bowel habits for a few days. You may
not be able to urinate right away and may have a catheter (a
small tube) placed into your bladder through the urethra
(the tube from the bladder to the outside) for a few days.
You should avoid heavy activity such as lifting. You should
ask your doctor how much you should lift, what other steps
you should take, and when you should come back for a
checkup.
What are the benefits of this procedure?
This minor surgical procedure may help the doctor make a
more accurate diagnosis about the cause of the pain.
Possible causes include pelvic adhesions, endometriosis, or
adnexal masses. Your doctor may be able to treat the cause
during the laparoscopy. Your stay at the hospital and time
needed to recover will be much shorter than with more
extensive abdominal surgery.
What are the risks associated with this procedure?
-
There are some risks when you have general anesthesia.
Discuss these risks with your doctor.
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The abdominal organs, glands, intestines, or blood
vessels may be damaged. The doctor may perform abdominal
surgery to repair them at the time of the laparoscopy.
-
The lining of the abdominal wall may become inflamed.
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A blood clot may break off, enter the bloodstream, and
clog an artery in the lung, pelvis, or legs. Rarely, a
clot may clog an artery in the heart or brain, causing a
heart attack or stroke.
-
You may have infection or bleeding.
-
You may have some pain after the procedure.
You should ask your doctor how these risks apply to you.
When should I call the doctor?
Call the doctor immediately if:
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You develop a fever.
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You develop redness, swelling, pain, or drainage from the
small incisions.
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You develop chest pain.
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You experience nausea and vomiting.
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You become short of breath.
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You develop severe abdominal pain or swelling.
Call the doctor during office hours if:
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