Diagnostic Laparoscopy
A minimally invasive endoscopic examination of the abdominal and pelvic cavities to visualize organs and determine the cause of symptoms or pathology.
Surgical instruments
12 on this table — tap a photo to zoom, the name for its full card.
The case
Spark notes
The 30-second rundown — scan this outside the room.
- The Surgery Sparknotes
- Insert trocar sheaths and insufflate the abdomen.
- Use laparoscopic graspers to move bowel around.
- Identify problem, develop treatment plan, and finish procedure.
- Close incision sites using adson forceps, Mayo hegar needle driver, and Mayo scissors.
- Dress the incision sites with skin glue, steri-strips, or gauze covered with an opsite or tegaderm.
Walkthrough
What the surgeon does — and what to have in your hand before they ask.
Preparing for the Procedure
Before starting the diagnostic laparoscopy, the surgeon will need to gather the necessary instruments. The basic instruments required are an 11 blade, 15 blade, or a bovie to make the laparoscopic trocar incision sites. They may also require S retractors or Army-Navy’s if a larger incision is needed. These instruments will be used to make the initial incisions to insert the laparoscopic ports.
Inserting the Trocar Sheaths
Once the initial incisions have been made, the surgeon will insert the trocar sheaths into the ports. They will then connect the insufflation tubing and fill up the abdomen with gas. This allows the surgeon to have a clear view of the internal organs during the procedure. After that, they will insert the scope and check around, before inserting the rest of the ports.
Using Laparoscopic Graspers
During the procedure, laparoscopic graspers will be used to move the bowel around. Surgeons can choose between bowel graspers, laparoscopic DeBakey graspers, or plain laparoscopic graspers based on their preference.
Finishing the Procedure
Diagnostic laparoscopies are usually brief and finish after the surgeon takes a look around the patient’s abdominal cavity. The surgeon will try to identify the cause of the patient's symptoms and develop a treatment plan accordingly.
Closing the Incision Sites
Once the procedure is complete, the surgeon will use adson forceps, a Mayo hegar needle driver, and straight Mayo scissors to close the incision sites. The instruments will help in securing the incision sites and prevent any further damage.
Dressing the Incision Sites
Finally, the incision sites will be dressed using skin glue, steri-strips, or gauze covered with an opsite or tegaderm. The dressing will help to keep the incision site clean and promote proper healing.
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