Laparoscopy vs. LESS Surgery

Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique – also referred to as “keyhole surgery” – that is performed through small incisions in the abdomen. In open surgery, the abdomen is opened with a large cut that provides a direct view onto the organs.  In laparoscopy, by contrast, a thin laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen to enable the surgeon to visualise the organs. Inherent gas (usually CO2) is pumped into the abdomen to inflate the abdominal cavity and give the surgeon a better look at the surgical field.
In diagnostic laparoscopy, the laparoscope is used to diagnose or find anatomic reasons for the patients' disorders.
In therapeutic laparoscopy, the surgeon additionally has to make further incisions in order to insert hand instruments alongside the laparoscope. Therefore, a laparoscopic procedure usually requires about 3 to 5 incisions. Whilst the laparoscope provides a view of the surgical field, the surgeon uses the additional hand instruments to perform the surgical procedure.
After a laparoscopic procedure, the instruments are removed, the gas is released and the incisions are closed – usually with stitches that dissolve.

Applications
Laparoscopy has a very wide range of application. Due to its benefits for the patient and its practicality, it has become a standardised procedure for various indications in general surgery, urology and gynaecology.

Benefits of laparoscopy over open surgery
By reducing the size of the incision, laparoscopy reduces the invasiveness and morbidity of surgical procedures and enhances the cosmetic result compared to open surgery.
Reduced invasiveness and morbidity lead to less pain, a reduced risk of complications and infections, less use of pain medication, faster recovery and a faster return to work and everyday life. 

Differences between laparoscopy and LESS surgery
Conventional laparoscopy requires a separate access for each instrument, resulting in multiple incisions to the abdominal wall. The LESS procedure requires only one access for all the instruments needed. By reducing the number of incisions in the abdominal wall to one single incision, any surgical operation can potentially result in less trauma to the patient, fewer complications, but, most definitely, in a considerably better cosmetic outcome. When the incision is made in the bellybutton, the scar is virtually invisible. LESS surgery thus represents a further advancement in standard laparoscopy, and could reduce the invasiveness of interventions even further.