Surgical Services
Laparoscopic Spay Procedure
Laparoscopic derives its meaning from two Greek words. The first is lapara, which means "the soft parts of the body between the rib margins and hips". The second word is skopen which means "to see or view". These words are self-explanatory as they describe, "viewing the abdominal cavity". Laparoscopy is simply a minimally invasive technique for viewing the internal structures of the abdominal cavity. It involves the use of a laparoscope (camera) inserted into the abdomen. This allows the veterinarian to view abdominal organs on a monitor. Applications for this procedure are numerous. The most common use is to obtain liver biopsies. The use of laparoscopes for performing an ovariohysterectomy (spay) is relatively new requiring special training and surgical expertise. Preparing your pet for a laparoscopic spay procedure is no different than preparation made for a traditional spay. Local station KSBW recently featured Harden Ranch Veterinary Hospital in a segment on laparoscopic spay surgery. Click here to see the video.