Laparoscopic ultrasonography during conservative ovarian surgery

Background: Most surgery for benign ovarian mass is now performed laparosco pically. Our purpose was to evaluate the usefulness of laparoscopic ultraso nography (LUS) in these operations. Methods: Forty patients treated by laparoscopic extirpation of a benign ova rian tumor were examined perioperatively using an Aloka 7.5-MHz laparoscopi c probe. Findings of preoperative vaginal and perioperative laparoscopic ul trasonography were compared with histologic diagnoses. The accuracy of LUS in localizing the tumor in the ovary and ensuring surgical radicalness was evaluated. Results: LUS enabled correct diagnosis in 34/40 and vaginal ultrasonography in 27/40 cases. Localization of the tumor was possible by LUS in all and v isually in 21 ovaries. In 2 patients a radical tumor extirpation was not po ssible without laparoscopic ultrasonographic guidance. Conclusions: Diagnostic accuracy in LUS is better than in vaginal ultrasono graphy. LUS facilitates exact tumor localization and can be useful in confi rming the radicalness of operation.