Many surgeries are done with the laparoscope to decrease the length of stay in hospital, shorten the recovery time, decrease surgical pain, and get the patient back to normal activity more quickly. Laparoscopic procedures include but are not strictly limited to:

• cholecystectomy: removal of gallbladder and gallstones
• colectomy: removal of portion of the colon with reconnection for benign or malignant disease
• Nissen fundoplication: an anti-reflux procedure, designed to stop reflux and repair hiatal hernias
• LAP-BAND: laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, surgical treatment for morbid obesity 
• appendectomy: treatment of appendicitis
• ventral hernia repair: repair of hernias of the abdominal wall as well as old incisional hernias