Laparoscopic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery in which small incisions between 0.5 to 1 cm are made on the abdominal wall through which an instrument called a laparoscope can be placed.  The laparoscope allows the surgeon to visualize inside the abdomen and pelvis.  The abdominal cavity is able to be visualized by filling it with an absorbable gas, typically, carbon dioxide.  Small instruments can be placed through these incisions allowing the surgeon to remove the uterus and cervix without the need for a large abdominal incision. Patients must receive general anesthesia during the procedure and typically go home the same day or stay overnight in the hospital for monitoring.

The advantages of laparoscopy over traditional abdominal surgery include a shorter post-operative hospital stay, a shorter recovery interval and less pain.