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Minimally invasive surgery, also known as laparoscopic surgery, is completed under general or local anesthesia, with one or more small skin incisions instead of the conventional, large incision. A telescope is inserted into the body through a small skin incision and the surgeon views the surgery on a television monitor. The necessary surgical instruments are introduced through the other small incisions. The surgeon operates on the area needed by viewing magnified images projected on the screen. Conducting surgery in this manner has many positive results, including shorter recovery time, less pain and smaller scars.

In addition to surgery, laparoscopy can be used when a diagnosis is in doubt, providing additional information to confirm the diagnosis. This may involve taking a biopsy of a suspicious lesion or lymph nodes. The use of diagnostic laparoscopy requires two to three small incisions.