Diagnostic laparoscopies are used to find out a cause for your symptoms and plan treatment. The operation will help to find out if you have any of the following conditions:

• Endometriosis ( cells lining the womb are found elsewhere in the body)
• Pelvic infection
• Scar tissue, for example from previous surgery
• Damaged fallopian tubes
• Ovarian cysts
• Removal of fibroids
• Removal of the uterus or hysterectomy

Commonly, if not find any abnormalities during a diagnostic laparoscopy. If minor problems are found such as small areas of endometriosis or minor scar tissue, these can be treated during your operation. If more complex problems are found then they may need to be treated with another operation on another day.

The advantages of keyhole surgery include:

• Faster recovery and shorter hospital stay
• Less pain and bleeding
• Reduced scarring

Patient may require a pre-operative assessment.

Patient may need to undergo some blood investigations, chest X-ray or an ECG (if you have underlying chronic conditions or you are older than 50+).

The doctor may ask to stop certain medications if patient is already taking those from long periods.

Patient will be asked not to eat or drink anything at least 6 hours before operation time.

For this operation, Patient is getting a general anaesthesia,the anaesthetist will talk to patient in detail about this on the day of the procedure. Once patient is at sleep, abdomen and vagina will be cleaned with medical cleaning fluid. Bladder will be emptied with a small tube (catheter). The surgeon will examine vagina and abdomen to assess how big the uterus is.

Often a small instrument is placed on the cervix (neck of the uterus) to help move the uterus (womb) during the operation. This will be removed immediate after surgery and may sometimes cause vaginal spotting. A small cut will be made on the belly button and the laparoscope is inserted through this cut and the abdominal cavity is filled with gas (carbon dioxide). A further small cut is made, so a ‘port’ can be inserted into the abdomen. A port is a small plastic tube that allows the instruments required for the operation to be inserted into the abdomen. Sometimes more than one port is needed. The doctor will perform the discussed procedure – diagnostic laparoscopy to assess your uterus or removal of endometriosis, or cysts, or fibroids, or Uterus (womb). After the procedure, the gas is released from your abdomen and stitches are used to close the incisions. Dressingsis done on the abdomen . The operation normally lasts 30-120 minutes.