One of the great surgical advances of the modern age is the ability to use a laparoscope for minimally invasive surgery in areas that previously required major open surgery.

Physicians at the Stanford Cancer Center have pioneered this technology for many different surgeries involving cervical, endometrial, uterine, and other gynecological cancers. Today, most gynecological surgeries can be done laparoscopically if general conditions are favorable.

How Laparoscopic Gynecological Surgery Works

During laparoscopic surgery your physician makes a small incision in your lower abdomen to reach the target organ. A tiny tube with a light and a camera (i.e., a laparoscope) is inserted into the incision and directed to the organ.

The surgeon navigates and inspects the region on a TV-like monitor that receives images from the camera, and can visualize tissue, biopsy suspicious regions, or remove tumors with a cutting instrument and tissue retrieval apparatus that is also part of the laparoscope.

The major advantage of laparoscopic gynecological surgery is that your doctor can now perform the same surgeries that used to require large open incisions with just one (or a few) tiny incisions. This reduces pain and scarring, and significantly reduces the time it takes for you to recover from surgery.

In addition, the laparoscope images are magnified when they appear on the monitor, allowing your doctor to see even greater tissue detail than would be available during traditional surgery.

Stanford Expertise

Physicians at the Stanford Cancer Center are internationally recognized for their experience with laparoscopic gynecological surgery.

Dr. Camran Nezhat for example has written text books on the topic and contributed to hundreds of other books and journal articles. In addition, the department regularly hosts educational courses for other doctors who wish to learn laparoscopic gynecological techniques.

Like all surgeries, the success of laparoscopic surgery is related to physician experience with the technique. With the wealth of experience in laparoscopic gynecological surgery at the Cancer Center, you can be assured that you will receive reliable, quality care that is essential when you are facing cancer.