[The role of emergency laparoscopy in abdominal pain syndrome and in the assessment of abdominal trauma].

From January 1991 to June 1993 we performed 106 emergency laparoscopies. The patients' mean age was 31 years (17-90). There were 73 females (69%) and 33 males (31%). 8 (8%) laparoscopic evaluations of abdominal traumas were performed. Laparoscopy yielded a diagnosis in 89% of the cases. In 12 cases (11%) the laparoscopy was negative. Morbidity was 2% and mortality 3%. The mean hospital stay was 4.5 days. Today emergency laparoscopic evaluation of abdominal syndromes is performed routinely in most centers. The diagnostic rate is reported to be between 87-96% according to individual series. Laparoscopy may shorten the diagnostic delay, diminish the number of paraclinical investigations and in particular reduce the number of negative laparotomies.