Laparoscopy is the more technical term for an approach to surgery that is considered to be minimally invasive. Incisions are very small, much smaller than with older, more conventional surgery. These smaller incisions are intended to improve the experience and outcomes for the patient. The amount of pain is usually less, healing may be quicker and scars will be smaller because the incisions (cuts through the body) are much smaller.
During laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon uses a form of technology called a laparoscope to see what he or she is doing. The laparoscope is the piece of equipment that threads into the body. It may be attached to a video camera or robot attached to it that assists the surgeon.
Another name for laparoscopic surgery is "bandaid surgery".
Another form of minimally invasive, laporascopic-like surgery is called "keyhole surgery." Keyhole surgeries refer to similar surgeries as performed in the chest cavity which make use of a thoracoscope in similar ways to the laporascope.
