[Laparoscopy in oncological pediatrics].

Laparoscopy permits direct inspection of the peritoneal cavity. Its role is very important in oncology both in the adult and in the pediatric patient. From 1973 to 1985, 147 laparoscopies were performed on 137 patients, aged 2-16; indications were: definition of the nature of neoplastic disease in 8 cases, staging of known neoplasia in 132, restaging in 7. On Hodgkin's disease, splenic involvement in 8/113 cases was revealed by laparoscopy with biopsy. Histological examination was positive in 4 out of 22 cases of ovarian tumors. Morbidity was 1.2%. Although a laparotomy performed after laparoscopy has shown some false negatives, in most cases the clinical and instrumental follow-up has proved reliability of laparoscopic examination.