Staging laparotomy for Hodgkin's disease in children.

Resort to laparotomy for the staging of Hodgkin's disease has been controversial because of its questionable advantage over nonsurgical staging methods. The recent concern over splenectomy and subsequent overwhelming infection has added to this debate. The author reviews experience with Hodgkin's disease in 34 patients whose ages ranged from 6 to 18 years. Seventeen patients underwent staging laparotomy after their disease had been staged by standard nonoperative methods; the duration of follow-up was from 2 to 7 years. In 7 of these 17 patients the stage of their disease was changed as a result of the laparotomy findings. Complications have been late septicemia resulting in death in one patient and subacute bowel obstruction not requiring reoperation in two patients. In the author's opinion staging laparotomy in children with Hodgkin's disease is a valuable means of deciding on their subsequent therapy.