Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure that involves making one or more tiny cuts in the abdomen so a doctor can insert a laparoscope and other specialized surgical instruments. A laparoscope is a very thin, fiber-optic tube, with an incredibly small camera and light attached. Performing a laparoscopy allows a doctor specializing in reproductive medicine to see the organs in your abdomen without making a larger incision. Typically, surgery needing a larger incision will require a longer recovery time and hospital stay; therefore a laparoscopy is normally performed first as an exploratory measure. Depending on what the doctor finds in this exploratory procedure, sometimes the necessary repairs can be made immediately.
Initial infertility testing does not always identify the cause of infertility. In the case of no identified cause, a fertility specialist may suggest laparoscopic surgery to help in diagnosing the reasons for your infertility. In addition, if you are experiencing pelvic pain, which may actually be a symptom of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or endometriosis, your doctor may suggest laparoscopic surgery to determine the source of the pain. If endometriosis or PID is found during the surgery, your doctor will most likely treat it right away, during the laparoscopy (by removing scar tissue, for example). Laparoscopic surgery is also typically performed in the case of an ectopic pregnancy.
There are several causes of infertility, such as endometriosis, that can really only be diagnosed through this laparoscopic surgery. A laparoscopy gives your doctor not only a chance to see what is inside your abdomen, but your doctor can also immediately biopsy any suspicious growths or cysts that are found during the surgical process.
Laparoscopy is performed in a hospital, under general anesthesia. Typically, patients getting ready for this surgery will be given an IV to deliver fluids and possibly medication to help with relaxation. An anesthesiologist will be available to give you the necessary anesthesia to help you go to sleep.
Your doctor will make a tiny incision near your belly button, as soon as the anesthesia has taken effect. Through this incision, a needle will be used to fill your abdomen with carbon dioxide gas. By expanding your abdomen with the gas, your doctor will have room to see your reproductive organs and will have space to move the necessary surgical instruments. Sometimes two or three more small cuts are made, so that other thin surgical instruments can be used to make repairs, biopsy tissue for testing, or move the organs around for a better view.
Since you will be under the effects of general anesthesia, you should not feel any pain, or even remember anything about the laparoscopic procedure. During the surgery, a tube will be placed in your throat to help you breath during surgery; it will be removed before you wake-up. Due to the breathing tube in your throat during the surgery, it is possible that you may have a slight sore throat when the anesthesia wears off.
It is perfectly normal for the area around the cuts to feel a little bit sore. If your doctor removes some scar tissue, your abdomen will probably feel tender. In addition, the carbon dioxide gas may leave you feeling bloated, but that is completely normal. It is also possible that you may experience sharp pains in your shoulder; these pains should go away within a few days.
A laparoscopy is fairly routine surgery, so more than likely you will go home on the same day as the surgery. Plan to take it easy for at least one or two days, although you may need a week or two to recover if the doctor found that many repairs were needed. Your doctor will explain his expectations for your recovery time.
During the laparoscopy, your fertility doctor will make a visual evaluation of the pelvic and abdominal organs. The doctor will be looking for fibroids, cysts, adhesions or scar tissue, and possible endometrial growths. Your doctor will also check out the color, shape, and size of your reproductive organs. If necessary, a dye may be injected through the cervix, so the surgeon can determine whether the fallopian tubes are open.
Depending on what is found during the exploratory process, often the doctor can treat the issue right away, before completing the surgery. Endometrial growths, adhesions, cysts, and fibroids often can be immediately removed. If the fallopian tubes are blocked, the doctor can open them, if it is possible. If an ectopic pregnancy is found, the doctor will remove the abnormal pregnancy and repair any tissue damage, although in this situation, it might be necessary to completely remove the fallopian tube.
After the surgery is finished, the doctor typically will explain what was found, what was repaired or removed and what your options are for getting pregnant. If you had fibroids removed or a fallopian tube repaired, you may be able to get pregnant without help. In the case of endometriosis or PID, if scar tissue was removed, you may be able to get pregnant without further treatment. If, after surgery and several months of trying to conceive, you do not get pregnant on your own, your fertility specialist will most likely recommend fertility treatments.
If you have been unsuccessful in your attempts to conceive and you are looking for a reproductive specialist, the Center of Reproductive Medicine helps infertile couples in the southeast Texas area with two full-service fertility clinics in Webster and Beaumont. CORM is a renowned fertility center with one of the highest success rates and some of the most competitively priced infertility services on the market. The fertility specialists at CORM are dedicated to providing a nurturing and positive experience for all fertility treatment patients. The professional staff at the Center of Reproductive Medicine is also dedicated to examining and investigating the specific cause of each fertility issue, recommending and implementing the best fertility treatment with a minimally invasive approach.