Your surgeon will place a small needle just below your belly button and insert it into your abdominal cavity. The needle is connected to a small tube that passes carbon dioxide into the abdomen. This gas lifts the abdominal wall to give the surgeon a better view of the abdominal cavity once the laparoscope is in place. The surgeon will then be guided by the laparoscope, which transmits a picture of the prostate onto a video monitor. Next, a small incision will be made near your belly button. The laparoscope is placed through this incision and is connected to a video camera. The image your surgeon sees in the laparoscope is projected onto video monitors placed near the operating table. Before starting the surgery, the surgeon will take a thorough look at your abdominal cavity to make sure the laparoscopy procedure will be safe for you. If the surgeon sees scar tissue, infection, or abdominal disease, the procedure will not be continued. If the surgeon decides the surgery can be safely performed, additional small incisions will be made, giving him or her access to the abdominal cavity. If necessary, one of these small incisions may be enlarged to remove the pelvic lymph nodes.