What is Diagnostic Laparoscopy
Diagnostic laparoscopy is a procedure to diagnose diseases in the abdomen. During the procedure, a thin, lighted, pencil-sized instrument called a laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen through an incision. The laparoscope allows your health care provider to look at the organs inside your body.
Tell a health care provider about:
- Any allergies you have.
- All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
- Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.
- Any blood disorders you have.
- Any surgeries you have had.
- Any medical conditions you have.
What are the risks?
Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, problems can occur, which may include:
- Infection.
- Bleeding.
- Damage to other organs.
- Allergic reaction to the anesthetics used during the procedure.
What happens before the procedure?
- Do noteat or drink anything after midnight on the night before the procedure or as directed by your health care provider.
- Ask
your health care provider about:
- Changing or stopping your regular medicines.
- Taking medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These medicines can thin your blood.Do nottake these medicines before your procedure if your health care provider instructs you not to.
- Plan to have someone take you home after the procedure.
What happens during the procedure?
- You may be given a medicine to help you relax (sedative).
- You will be given a medicine to make you sleep (general anesthetic).
- Your abdomen will be inflated with a gas. This will make your organs easier to see.
- Small incisions will be made in your abdomen.
- A laparoscope and other small instruments will be inserted into the abdomen through the incisions.
- A tissue sample may be removed from an organ in the abdomen for examination.
- The instruments will be removed from the abdomen.
- The gas will be released.
- The incisions will be closed with stitches (sutures).
What happens after the procedure?
Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored often until the medicines you were given have worn off.
Diagnostic Laparoscopy, Care After
This sheet gives you information about how to care for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. If you have problems or questions, contact your health care provider.
What can I expect after the procedure?
After the procedure, it is common to have:
- Mild discomfort in the abdomen.
- Sore throat.
Women who have laparoscopy with pelvic examination may have mild cramping and fluid coming from the vagina for a few days after the procedure.
Follow these instructions at home:
Medicines
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
- If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your health care provider.Do notstop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.
Driving
- Do notdrive for 24 hours if you were given a medicine to help you relax (sedative) during your procedure.
- Do notdrive or use heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine.
Bathing
- Do nottake baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your health care provider approves. You may take showers.
Incision care
- Follow
instructions from your health care provider about how to take care of your
incisions. Make sure you:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before you change your bandage (dressing). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Change your dressing as told by your health care provider.
- Leave stitches (sutures), skin glue, or adhesive strips in place. These skin closures may need to stay in place for 2 weeks or longer. If adhesive strip edges start to loosen and curl up, you may trim the loose edges. Do notremove adhesive strips completely unless your health care provider tells you to do that.
Check your incision areas every day for signs of infection. Check for:
- Redness, swelling, or pain.
- Fluid or blood.
- Warmth.
- Pus or a bad smell.
Activity
- Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
- Do not lift anything that is heavier than 10 lb (4.5 kg), or the limit that you are told, until your health care provider says that it is safe.
General instructions
- To
prevent or treat constipation while you are taking prescription pain
medicine, your health care provider may recommend that you:
- Drink enough fluid to keep your urine pale yellow.
- Take over-the-counter or prescription medicines.
- Eat foods that are high in fiber, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans.
- Limit foods that are high in fat and processed sugars, such as fried and sweet foods.
- Do notuse any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.
Contact a health care provider if:
- You develop shoulder pain.
- You feel lightheaded or faint.
- You are unable to pass gas or have a bowel movement.
- You feel nauseous or you vomit.
- You develop a rash.
- You have redness, swelling, or pain around any incision.
- You have fluid or blood coming from any incision.
- Any incision feels warm to the touch.
- You have pus or a bad smell coming from any incision.
- You have a fever or chills.
Get help right away if:
- You have severe pain.
- You have vomiting that does not go away.
- You have heavy bleeding from the vagina.
- Any incision opens.
- You have trouble breathing.
- You have chest pain.
Summary
- After the procedure, it is common to have mild discomfort in the abdomen and a sore throat.
- Check your incision areas every day for signs of infection.
- Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
