NEGATIVE EMERGENCY LAPAROTOMIES FROM 1950 TO 1989

In order to list the negative emergency laparotomies, the records of 2 4 494 laparotomies performed from 1950 to 1989 were examined. 211 nega tive laparotomies were performed over this 40 years period: 49 for abd ominal trauma, 42 for supposed intestinal obstruction, 44 for supposed peritonitis or visceral infection, 46 for presumed early post-operati ve abdominal complications and 30 for gastrointestinal bleeding. Over these 4 decades, the emergency laparotomy rate and negative laparotomy rate remained stable despite changes in the diagnostic tools, in the age of the patients and the frequency of their diseases.