Laparoscopic surgery, also known as minimally invasive or keyhole surgery, is performed by operating through a series of small incisions no more than 1 to 2 cm in length. As the incisions are much smaller than those used in traditional abdominal surgery, patients experience less postoperative pain and have shorter recovery times. There is also a favorable cosmetic outcome with smaller scars. Several surgical procedures such as appendectomy, cholecystectomy, and hernia repair, as well as numerous orthopaedic, urological, and gynecological procedures, are now commonly performed laparoscopically.