Page 13 - World Journal of Laparoscopic Surgery

WJOLS

Role of Diagnostic Laparoscopy in Patients with Acute or Chronic Nonspecific Abdominal Pain
chances of wound infection are high. In our study, 92/104 ConCLuSion
appendix specimen showed inflammatory changes per Diagnostic laparoscopy is a safe minimally invasive diag-
histopathology (88.4%) although 38 of these were found nostic cum therapeutic tool which has a high efficacy in
to be normal macroscopically. Many authors favor the diagnosing and managing acute and chronic abdominal
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opinion that a normal appendix should be left in situ. conditions. It reduces morbidity, allows diagnosis and
Twenty-eight out of 38 apparently normal appendix speci- treatment in the same setting in a majority of instances,
mens showed inflammatory changes on histopathology decreases hospital length of stay, decreases the cost of
in our study (73.6%) and thus, it proves that carrying out investigations and also the overall cost of treatment
an appendectomy is advantageous in cases of negative and has a degree of positive psychological impact on
laparoscopies. patients suffering from NSAP of chronic nature. Hence,
The second most common finding in our study was it can be safely said that diagnostic laparoscopy is a safe
gynecological pathology and it was possible to deal with and effective alternative to diagnostic laparotomy. There
all cases at the same setting showing the usefulness of DL is need to make this modality readily available to the
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in diagnosing and treating gynecological pathologies. general population especially those in the lesser deve-
Ovarian cysts were a common finding in our study at loped parts of the world.
16%. Literature reports reiterate that any ovarian cysts
found during laparoscopy can be treated laparoscopi- REFEREnCES
25
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had nonspecific findings (Table 3). Suspicious lesions 5. Grunewald B, Keating J. Should the normal appendix be
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nonresectable/nonsurgical pathologies. Also DL safely 8. Flum DR, Morris A, Koepsell T, Dellinger EP. Has misdiag­
provides adequate tissue for full Histologic evaluation nosis of appendicitis decreased over time? A population-
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We excluded trauma patients from our study as 9. Wilson EB, Cole JC, Nipper ML, Cooney DR, Smith RW. Com-
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by other studies as well. Follow-up of our patients Laparoscopic diagnosis of acute lower abdominal pain in
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