Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive ("keyhole") surgical procedure in which a surgeon inserts a thin, lighted camera (a laparoscope) through one or more small incisions in the abdomen to see and operate on the pelvic organs.
In gynecology it is used both to diagnose and to treat conditions — historically it has been the way to confirm endometriosis, and it can remove cysts, treat endometriosis, or remove fibroids. Compared with open surgery it usually means smaller scars and faster recovery. See endometriosis.