Laparoscopic surgery is a form of minimally invasive surgery that allows for major procedures to be done via small (~1cm) incisions in the abdominal wall. Gas is used to distend the abdominal cavity thereby creating space for the procedure to be performed in. A camera (laparoscope) is used to visualise the internal structures and long thin instruments are inserted into the abdominal cavity through small ports in order to perform the procedure.

The main advantage of laparoscopic surgery is that it allows for less post-operative pain, lower blood loss and shorter hospital stay than traditional open surgery.