What is a laparoscopic cystectomy?
A laparoscopic cystectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that a surgeon performs to remove a cyst, which is a mass or sac containing fluid. When this mass is connected to the ovaries, we call it an ovarian cyst. When performing a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy, our goal is to remove the excess ovarian mass while preserving as much of the original ovarian tissue as possible.
During a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy, the surgeon makes three small incisions that are each about 5mm in length. By putting a very small camera through one incision, the surgeon places their tools through the other incisions and uses the live video feed from the camera to carefully guide the procedure.
Doctors usually choose the option of a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy when they believe the ovarian mass will not likely resolve on its own and is unlikely to be malignant (cancerous).
