Laminectomy is a type of surgery in which a surgeon removes part or all of the vertebral bone (lamina). This helps relieve compression of the spinal cord or the nerve roots that may be caused by injury, herniated disk, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the canal), or tumors.

Laparoscopy uses a thin lighted tube that has a video camera. The tube is called a laparoscope. It is put into a tiny cut or incision in your belly. The video camera images can be seen on a computer screen.

Lithotripsy is a procedure used to treat kidney stones that are too large to pass through the urinary tract. It works by sending focused ultrasound energy or shock waves directly to the stone. The shock waves break a large stone into smaller stones that will pass through the urinary system. Lithotripsy lets people with certain types of kidney stones not need surgery.

A liver biopsy is a test used to diagnose liver conditions. Tissue samples are removed from your liver and checked under a microscope for signs of damage or disease.

A liver scan is an imaging test to look at your liver and see how well it is working. This test may also be called a liver-spleen scan because the healthcare provider often looks at the spleen at the same time.

A liver transplant is surgery to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver from another person. A whole liver may be transplanted, or just part of one.

A lobectomy is a surgery to remove one of the lobes of the lungs.

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) uses a wire loop heated by electric current to remove cells and tissue in a woman’s lower genital tract. It is used as part of the diagnosis and treatment for abnormal or cancerous conditions.

A lumbar puncture (LP) or spinal tap may be done to diagnose or treat a condition.

A biopsy is a test done to remove a tissue sample from the body so it can be examined. A lung biopsy is a test to take a small piece of a lung.

A lung scan is an imaging test to look at your lungs and help diagnose certain lung problems. A lung scan may also be used to see how well treatment is working.

A lung transplant is surgery to remove a diseased lung and replace it with a healthy lung from another person.