Laparoscopy for abdominal emergencies.

The role of laparoscopy has been reviewed for these conditions: abdominal trauma, acute abdomen, abdominal pain of uncertain etiology, appendicitis and the acute abdomen in the intensive care unit patient. Laparoscopy should only be performed in trauma patients who are hemodynamically stable and who have some evidence for abdominal injury, such as a positive peritoneal lavage or a positive CT scan. Laparoscopy is an excellent procedure for determining whether a knife or missile has penetrated the peritoneum. For penetrating wounds in the chest and upper abdomen, laparoscopy also allows excellent evaluation of the diaphragm. In blunt trauma, laparoscopy identifies the majority of injuries, but there has been a 5-15% incidence of missed injuries to the small bowel and colon. The acute abdomen is generally caused by perforation, acute inflammation or intestinal obstruction. Of the various types of perforation, diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopy is most applicable for duodenal perforation. Acute perforation of the stomach and colon should probably be treated by standard open techniques. For acute inflammatory disorders, laparoscopy is an excellent diagnostic tool and can also provide definitive treatment in the form of drainage of an abscess or appendectomy. The role of laparoscopy for ileus and bowel obstruction is controversial; some surgeons advocate diagnostic laparoscopy and treatment, while many others still consider bowel obstruction and abdominal distention to be contra-indications. Finally, there are the intensive care unit patients in whom an acute intraabdominal process is suspected. Laparoscopy in such patients alters the clinical management in about 50% of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)