When talking about surgery, it is common to hear the term “laparoscopic surgery”. One easy way to remember what this means is to recall that a “laparoscope” is a big word for a very small thing: a miniature camera with a light source that is inserted into the body through a tiny cut. This allows the surgeon to see inside the body and operate without making a big cut, which would result in a large scar and longer healing time. Laparoscopic surgery allows patients to heal much faster. They are often able to return home the same day of surgery.