Laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery in Lagos, and what it costs
Laparoscopic surgery, also called keyhole surgery, is done through a few small cuts using a thin camera, instead of one larger cut. On Mezo, keyhole gallbladder removal costs ₦900,000 and appendix removal costs ₦1,300,000, all-in, covering the surgeon, anaesthetist, theatre and your stay, and agreed in writing before admission. For groin hernia repair, fibroid removal and ovarian cyst removal, the surgeon decides with you at the consultation whether keyhole suits your case, and the price follows as a written quote. Operations are done in Lagos. Prices last checked 22 October 2026.
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Keyhole operations and their prices
| Operation | Keyhole price | Published on the page |
|---|---|---|
| Gallbladder removal (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) Gallstones causing repeated attacks of pain. Keyhole suits many gallbladders but not all, and the surgeon tells you at the consultation whether yours is one. | ₦900,000Ask for a quote | Fixed all-in case rate, open cholecystectomy: from ₦750,000 |
| Appendix removal (laparoscopic appendicectomy) Appendicitis. Usually done by keyhole through three small cuts, with one night in hospital. | ₦1,300,000Ask for a quote | The keyhole price is the page's headline price |
| Groin hernia repair (laparoscopic hernia repair) Often chosen for hernias on both sides, or one that has come back after an open repair. For a first, one-sided hernia, open repair works as well and costs less. | Written quote after a ₦35,000 consultationAsk for a quote | Fixed all-in case rate, one side: from ₦850,000 |
| Fibroid removal (laparoscopic myomectomy) Possible for a few fibroids of moderate size in a position the camera can reach. Many or large fibroids usually need open surgery. | Written quote after a ₦35,000 consultationAsk for a quote | Fixed all-in case rate, open myomectomy: from ₦1,000,000 |
| Ovarian cyst removal (laparoscopic cystectomy) Often done by keyhole. Very large cysts, and anything that looks suspicious on the scan, are usually better done open. | Written quote after a ₦35,000 consultationAsk for a quote | Fixed all-in case rate, one ovary: ₦580,000 |
Each price is the one published on that operation’s page, where you can see what it covers, what it excludes and what would change it. A price marked “from” is the starting price for the standard case.
What keyhole surgery is
Under a general anaesthetic, the surgeon makes a few small cuts in the tummy, usually near the navel. The tummy is gently filled with gas so there is room to see, a thin camera called a laparoscope shows the inside on a screen, and the operation is done with long, narrow instruments passed through the other cuts. At the end the gas is let out and the small cuts are closed.
The operation inside is the same one an open surgeon does: the gallbladder or appendix is still removed, the hernia is still repaired with a mesh. What changes is the way in, and that is what changes the recovery.
Keyhole or open: the honest comparison
What keyhole usually gives you
- Smaller scars
- Less pain in the first days, and a shorter stay in hospital for most operations
- A quicker return to desk work and normal activity
When open surgery is the better choice
- You are not fit for a general anaesthetic: some operations, such as a groin hernia repair, can be done open under a spinal or local anaesthetic instead
- Scarring from earlier operations on the tummy, which can make keyhole unsafe
- Many or very large fibroids, a very large cyst, or anything on the scan that looks suspicious
- A first, one-sided groin hernia, where open repair works as well and costs less
The surgeon matters more than the method. Results depend on how often a surgeon does that particular operation in that particular way, so it is fair to ask. Keyhole surgery also needs a camera, a screen and special instruments, which is why some keyhole operations cost more than the open version.
Recovery after keyhole surgery
Most people are walking the same day or the next morning. The small cuts are sore for a few days. Pain at the tip of the shoulder is common, from the gas used during the operation, and it settles in a few days. Walking helps.
Each operation’s page has its own recovery timeline, written for that operation, and the post-operative review is included in the price.
Risks you should be told about
Keyhole surgery carries the risks of the operation itself, which each page lists, plus a few of its own: the gas, the instruments reaching inside, and the chance that the surgeon has to change to open surgery partway through. Injury to the bowel, bladder or a blood vessel is rare. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
How much is laparoscopic surgery in Nigeria?
It depends on the operation, because laparoscopic surgery is a way of operating, not one operation. On Mezo, keyhole gallbladder removal costs ₦900,000 and appendix removal costs ₦1,300,000, all-in, with the price agreed in writing before you are admitted. For groin hernia repair, fibroid removal and ovarian cyst removal, whether keyhole suits you is decided at the consultation and the price follows as a written quote.
Is keyhole surgery better than open surgery?
Not always. Keyhole surgery usually means smaller scars, less pain in the first days and a quicker return to normal activity. It needs a general anaesthetic, takes special equipment, and costs more for some operations. For some patients and some conditions, open surgery is the safer or simpler choice, and a good surgeon will tell you which applies to you.
What does it mean if the surgeon changes to open surgery during the operation?
Sometimes the surgeon finds that the operation cannot be finished safely by keyhole, for example because of scarring or severe inflammation, and changes to a larger cut. That is a safety decision, not a failure. It is discussed with you before you consent, and the treatment page says how it affects the price.
Will I be asleep?
Yes. Keyhole surgery inside the tummy is done under general anaesthetic, because the tummy is inflated with gas so the surgeon can see. You meet the anaesthetist before the day.
Can fibroids be removed by keyhole surgery?
Sometimes. It depends on how many fibroids there are, how big they are and where they sit, which the scan shows. Many or large fibroids usually need open surgery. On Mezo the keyhole option is assessed at a consultation and priced by written quote; open myomectomy is published from ₦1,000,000.
Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). NHS. Patient information.
- An outcomes-focused analysis of laparoscopic and open surgery in a Nigerian hospital. Smiley KE et al., JSLS 27(1):e2022.00081, 2023. Peer-reviewed.
- Laparoscopic surgery for inguinal hernia repair (TA83). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
Links last checked 22 October 2026.
Find out if keyhole suits you, and the price
Tell us the operation, or what your doctor has said. We call you back, the surgeon examines you and tells you plainly whether keyhole suits your case, and you get a written price before anything is booked.
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