Questions To Ask The Doctor

Like any other kind of surgery, laparoscopy requires a skilled doctor who does enough procedures every week to maintain and build surgical skills. Generally, a doctor's skills increase with the number of operations that he or she performs. The nurses and other individuals who assist with the operation and care for the patient right after surgery also should be experienced with these procedures.

Doctors rarely feel offended when patients ask about these matters. In fact, experienced doctors usually are proud of their track record and eager to provide patients with information. It is very important for each individual involved to fully understand the doctor's diagnosis and planned treatment procedures.

Some questions to ask the doctor about her or his experience with laparoscopy are:

• Do you often perform laparoscopic surgery?

• How many procedures of this kind have you done in the past year?

• What types of conditions or diseases do you most often treat with laparoscopy?

• Do you make a videotape record of the operation?