Evaluation of the value of laparoscopy in acute abdominal pain

ABSTRACT

Acute abdominal pain always presents a problem to the attending surgeon. Despite the availability of many diagnostic aids such as clinical investigations, study of peritoneal aspirate, radiological examination and ultrasonography, negative exploratory laparotomies are still not rare. Laparoscopy in the management of patients with an acute abdominal pain proved to be very helpful in selected cases not only in reaching accurate diagnosis but also in avoiding unnecessary laparotomies. One hundred consecutive patients with acute abdominal pain were included in this work. Laparoscopy was indicated in 72 cases [72%] and its use helped to avoid laparotomy in 54 patients [62.5%] and in correcting clinical diagnosis in 5/24 [20.8%] of cases. Laparoscopy is also one of the major armamentation in cases where we were reluctant to operate when clinical diagnosis is indeterminate where it was diagnostic in 47/58 cases [81.03%]