1. Laparoscopy, also known as keyhole surgery or minimally invasive surgery, allows a surgeon to access the inside of the abdomen and pelvis through small incisions rather than large incisions.
2. The first laparoscopic procedure was performed in 1910 by a Swedish physician. In 1987, the first diseased gallbladder was successfully removed laparoscopically in France.
3. Laparoscopy is commonly used for conditions of the abdomen and pelvis such as infertility, ovarian diseases, chronic pain, and staging or biopsy of tumors. It provides benefits of less postoperative pain, faster recovery, shorter hospital stays, and smaller scars compared to open surgery.