Laparoscopic adhesiolysis.

The aim of this study was the detection of criteria that support the indication for laparoscopic adhesiolysis in patients presenting with unspecific symptoms. A prospective analysis investigates the value of laparoscopic adhesiolysis in patients with chronic abdominal pain after exclusion of other pathologic findings; 58 consecutive patients were followed after laparoscopic adhesiolysis. Endpoints of investigation were extent of adhesions, complications, postoperative hospitalization, and postoperative quality of life. A comparison was drawn to patients following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy plus adhesiolysis, and conventional cholecystectomy. The results showed that major complications occurred in 10% of cases. In 45% of patients we found a complete remission, in 35% a substantial improvement, and in 20% a persistence of complaints. In a correlation between the preoperative complaints and the extent of adhesions we found small adhesions to cause recurrent abdominal pain without other symptoms while large adhesions produce recurrent abdominal pain in combination with symptoms indicative of intermittent bowel obstruction. Finally, the results of this study indicate a certain "ideal constellation" for an enduring successful adhesiolysis per laparoscopy: it is the subjective complaint of recurrent abdominal pain with a localized and reproducible punctum maximum in combination with a circumscribed area of adhesions at that site.