Laparoscopic surgery also known as minimally invasive surgery is a specialized technique for performing select cancer surgeries.
During traditional open surgery the surgeon uses a single incision to enter into the abdomen, whereas in Laparoscopic surgery he uses several 0.5-1 cm incisions. Each incision is called a “port.”  At each port a tubular instrument known as a trochar is inserted.  Specialized instruments and a special camera known as a laparoscope are passed through these trochars during the procedure. At the beginning of the procedure, the abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to provide a working and viewing space for the surgeon. The laparoscope transmits images from the abdominal cavity to high-resolution video monitors in the operating room. During the operation the surgeon watches detailed images of the abdomen on the monitor. This system allows the surgeon to perform the same operations as traditional surgery but with smaller incisions.