VALUE OF LAPAROSCOPY IN NONTRAUMATIC ACUT E ABDOMEN

The diagnostic and therapeutic value of laparoscopy in emergency was s tudied in 314 patients presenting with non-traumatic acute abdomen. La paroscopy gave a correct and complete diagnosis of the underlying dise ase in 92 % (290/314) of cases. An erroneous preoperative diagnosis wa s corrected by laparoscopy in 18 % (58/314) of cases. This implied a c hange of the therapeutic strategy in 9 % (27/314). Seventy five per ce nt (234/314) of patients were exclusively treated by laparoscopy, 22 % (68/314) by laparotomy and 3 % (11/314) by laparoscopically assisted surgery. Mortality was 2.5 % (8/314) and morbidity 9 % (29/314). In co nclusion, laparoscopy is a valuable diagnostic tool for the surgeon in the context of acute abdomen and is an interesting therapeutic altern ative in selected cases. However, it requires extensive experience in laparoscopic techniques.