Appendectomy
Surgical removal of the appendix. An appendectomy is indicated to treat appendicitis, an inflamed and infected appendix and can be performed by traditional open surgery, by laparoscopy and, recently, by LESS surgery. There is no alternative treatment for appendicitis. Without surgery, life-threatening rupture of the appendix can occur.

Cholecystectomy
Surgical removal of the gallbladder. Cholecystectomy can be performed by open surgery, by laparoscopy and, recently, by LESS surgery.

Colon surgery
Also known as colorectal surgery is the branch of medicine concerned with surgery performed on the anus, peri-anal regions, rectum and intestinal tract.

Cosmesis
Cosmesis describes the preservation, restoration, or creation of physical beauty.

Cystectomy
Surgical removal of the urinary bladder. The term cystectomy is also used to describe the removal of an ovarian cyst.

Endoscope
A rigid or flexible instrument for looking inside the body. In general, an endoscope consists of a narrow fibre-optic used to examine the interior of bodily cavities or organs.

Endoscopy
A method of examining the interior of a body cavity or a hollow organ using an endoscope. The instrument is introduced into the body through a natural opening, generally the mouth or anus. The most common endoscopic procedures evaluate the oesophagus, portions of the intestine and the stomach. In these cases, a flexible scope is used. Rigid scopes are used for endoscopy in urology and gynaecology. If an incision has to be made, the procedure is called laparoscopy.

Endometriosis
Disorder of the female reproductive system in which the uterine lining (endometrium) grows in an abnormal location. Like the uterine lining, this tissue builds up and sheds in response to monthly hormonal cycles and leads to menstrual bleeding. The blood becomes trapped, thus causing swelling and inflammation. Symptoms can include pain during menstruation, sexual intercourse, defecation, urination as well as heavy menstrual flow, blood in the urine and infertility. Endometriosis can be treated by hormone therapy, pain medication and/or surgery.

Female sterilisation
A surgical procedure performed to stop fertility permanently. There are a number of different surgical sterilisation techniques available. Hysteroscopic and laparoscopic sterilisation are the most common ones.

Gastrectomy
Surgical removal of part or all of the stomach.

Gastric tube placement
A tube or a button that is surgically inserted into the stomach through the abdominal wall for enteral feeding, gastric decompression or the administration of medication.

Gel valve
A flexible part of the port that is used in LESS surgery for safe introduction of laparoscopic instruments. Its elastic gel-based construction allows the surgeon to exchange the instruments safely without interrupting the surgical procedure.

General surgery
The practise of surgery that focuses on the abdominal organs. General surgeons typically operate on common abdominal complaints.

Gynaecology
The branch of medicine concerned with the health and diseases of female reproductive organs.

Hernia
A bulge or protrusion of a structure or an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hernia often refers to an opening or weakness in the muscular structure of the wall of the abdomen. This defect causes a bulge in the abdominal wall. Symptoms of a hernia can include pain, discomfort, localised swelling on the abdominal surface or in the groin. Serious complications can result from tissues getting trapped or incarcerated in the hernia. Incarceration requires immediate surgery.

Hernia repair
A surgical procedure to return an organ to its original position, performed using open surgery or laparoscopy; also known as herniorrhaphy.  

Hysterectomy
Surgical removal of the entire uterus or parts of it. Depending on which parts are removed, one distinguishes between total, partial and radical hysterectomy.
In total hysterectomy, the uterus and cervix are removed; the ovaries are not removed and continue to secrete hormones. In partial or subtotal hysterectomy, only the uterus is removed, but not the cervix. In radical hysterectomy, uterus, cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, lymph nodes, lymph channels, and tissue in the pelvic cavity surrounding the cervix are all removed.

Incision
A cut, especially for surgical purposes.

Insufflation port
One of the openings or inlets of the TriPort used to inject gas or room air – mostly CO2 – into the abdominal cavity.

Keyhole surgery
Surgery through a small incision (similar to a keyhole) using a laparoscope for examination or treatment. Also known as laparoscopic surgery. See Laparoscopic surgery.

Kidney removal
Also called nephrectomy; a surgical procedure to remove a kidney. Kidney removal may be performed as open surgery, involving a large cut in the side of the abdomen or by laparoscopy. Laparoscopic nephrectomy is less invasive, involving three or four small cuts in the abdomen or flank.
In radical nephrectomy, the kidney, adrenal gland, local lymph nodes and other surrounding tissues are removed. An entire kidney may also be removed from a donor for a kidney transplant. Simple nephrectomy removes the affected kidney only.

Laparoscope
A long thin surgical instrument featuring a light and a camera. A laparoscope is used to visualise organs and tissues in the abdominal cavity without making large incisions.

Laparoscopic surgery
Laparoscopic surgery, also known as minimally invasive or keyhole surgery, allows many surgical procedures to be performed without the need for large incisions – an option that has revolutionised patient care. By using multiple small incisions through the skin, muscle and other tissues, the surgeon inserts instruments to perform surgery inside the body. One of the instruments always has a tiny camera. This allows the surgeon to visualise the surgery. (See also Laparoscopy.)

Laparoscopy
A minimally invasive surgical procedure in which a small incision is made in the abdominal wall, usually the navel. The laparoscope is inserted through the incision to examine the structures and organs within the abdomen and pelvis. Generally, additional small incisions are made to insert further instruments.
Laparoscopy may be done to diagnose conditions or perform certain types of operations. The advantages of laparoscopy include shorter recovery times, less pain and reduced postoperative complications.

Laparotomy
An operation to open the abdomen using a traditional full-size incision. This allows the surgeon to visualise the organs, blood vessels and tissues in the abdominal cavity. The equivalent procedure using the minimally invasive laparoscopic technique is called laparoscopy.

Lap band
An adjustable plastic band surgically placed around the upper stomach to divide it off into a tiny pouch. Banding is used in obese patients to restrict their intake by making only a small portion of the stomach able to hold food.

LESS surgery
The abbreviation for Laparo-Endoscopic Single-Site surgery. LESS surgery represents a novel approach to abdominal surgery. In traditional laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes three to six “keyhole” incisions at multiple sites, inserts instruments into each and performs the surgery. In LESS surgery, only one incision is made – usually through the umbilicus. During the procedure the surgeon inserts all the instruments needed simultaneously through one special port (see TriPort). Because the procedure requires only one single incision, LESS surgery potentially reduces complications that might occur after traditional open and even laparoscopic abdominal surgery.

Liver resection
Surgical removal of a portion of the liver. Is usually done to remove various types of hepatic tumours without removing the entire liver. Here the goal is to completely remove the tumour and preserve the surrounding liver tissue without leaving any tumour cells behind.

Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)
See Laparoscopic surgery.

Morbidity
Morbidity describes the quality of being morbid or diseased and describes the degree to which a health condition affects the patient.
It also describes the incidence or prevalence of a particular disease in a population.

Nephrectomy
See Kidney removal.

NOTES
Abbreviation for Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery. A form of minimally invasive surgery, using natural openings like the mouth, anus or vagina for access to the body.

Olympus
One of the world’s renowned manufacturers of medical systems. Olympus offers comprehensive support for medical practitioners with services and products ranging from the development of medical equipment for diagnostics and treatments to the design of hospital management support systems and other healthcare IT systems.
Olympus has created many groundbreaking new technologies – including technical equipment and instruments for LESS surgery.

Optic
Optic is another name for laparoscope – the long thin instrument inserted into the abdomen to provide the surgeon with a view of the surgical field.

Orchiectomy
Surgical removal of one or both testicles.

Prostate removal (or Prostatectomy)
Surgical removal of the prostate gland.

Pyeloplasty
An operation to relieve obstruction at the junction between kidney and ureter. Once the obstructed part is removed, urine can flow freely from the kidney to the bladder. A pyeloplasty can be performed by either open or laparoscopic surgery.

QuadPort
A QuadPort is a multi-channel port from Olympus that allows 4 instruments to be inserted simultaneously into the abdomen through each of 4 special gel valves – one 5-mm valve, two 10-mm valves and a 15-mm valve.

Splenectomy
Surgical removal of the spleen.  

TriPort
The TriPort is a multi-channel port from Olympus that allows 3 instruments to be inserted simultaneously into the abdomen through each of 3 special gel valves – one of 12 mm and two of 5 mm in diameter.

Trocar
A sharp-pointed surgical shaft used to introduce cannulas or similar implements into blood vessels, bone marrow or body cavities. Trocars are used as ports to perform laparoscopic surgery.

Urology
A surgical speciality concerned with the study, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the urinary tract in both sexes and of the genital tract in the male. Urology also covers the management of benign and malignant medical and surgical disorders of the genitourinary system and adrenal glands.