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Laparoscopy in the context of lower abdominal pain in young women.

The management of lower abdominal pain in young women carries up to 45% chance of diagnostic error. Laparoscopic management may be particularly beneficial in this subset of patients. This study reviews the authors' experience with laparoscopy as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic tool in young women with lower abdominal pain. The authors analyzed 121 consecutive female patients, with a mean age of 30 years, who were evaluated from June 1995 to October 1997. All patients were managed by early laparoscopy within 24 h from the onset of symptoms. Radiographic imaging, including computed tomography and ultrasound, was performed in 79 patients (65.2%). Laparoscopy was diagnostic in all cases. In 58 patients (48%), multiple pathologic conditions were identified. Acute appendicitis was the most common diagnosis (82.6%), and benign gynecologic disorders was the predominant reason for multiple pathologic conditions (clinical evaluation was erroneous in 15% of patients). In 96% of patients, definite surgical treatment was provided laparoscopically. The mean hospitalization time was 2.0 +/- 1 days, and the mean operative time was 59.8 +/- 21 min. The overall complication rate was 2.5%. In young women, early laparoscopy can offer a safe and effective alternative for the definite diagnosis and treatment of lower abdominal pain.

Abdominal Pain↗

Adrenal incidentaloma: the influence of a decision-making algorithm on the short-term outcome of laparoscopy.

BACKGROUND: At the present time, the precise indications for laparoscopic surgery of adrenal incidentaloma (AI) have yet to be completely clarified. The most controversial issue is the role of laparoscopy in the treatment of potentially malignant and large adrenal masses. Trying to address these questions, we retrospectively examined a group of patients with AIs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients with AIs who were laparoscopically treated since 1995 were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: the 27 patients of the immediate surgery (IS) group were operated on immediately, whereas the 15 subjects in the delayed surgery (DS) group needed further evaluations and/or a follow-up period before surgery. Surgical timing for both groups was decided according to a widely accepted decision-making algorithm. Many outcome parameters of laparoscopy (operative time, blood loss, conversion rate, time to liquid and solid food nutrition, drainage removal, resumption of normal bowel habits, and average hospital stay) were analyzed in the two groups. The subjects had AIs of various sizes and different histotypes. RESULTS: Patients in the DS group had a higher risk for malignancy. The definitive pathology revealed a malignant biology in 26.6% of DS vs. 0% of IS cases. No difference in the outcome parameters of laparoscopy was observed between the two groups or among pathologically different AIs. A significant correlation was found between the operative time and the size of the AI (r=0.836, P<0.001, linear regression test). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that laparoscopy is feasible and safe for AIs, regardless of the preoperative probability of malignancy. The size of the AI was the only determinant for choosing a laparotomy. Further long-term studies are necessary to confirm the laparoscopic efficacy in terms of oncologic safety.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Laparoscopy as an adjunct to peritoneal drainage in perforated necrotizing enterocolitis.

Intestinal perforation in very low birth weight infants with necrotizing enterocolitis has a high morbidity and mortality. We report the use of laparoscopy on day 30 of life in the treatment of a very low birth weight infant (900 g) with perforated necrotizing enterocolitis. The question of laparotomy versus peritoneal drain is ongoing. Laparoscopy may have a major role to play in the answer to this debate. The versatility of laparoscopy enables good visualization of the bowel and organs: a drain can be placed in a port site if there is no fecal contamination and a more conservative approach is warranted, or a conversion to a laparotomy can be undertaken if there are obvious feces or necrotic bowel. We feel that laparoscopy in the initial evaluation of necrotizing enterocolitis is invaluable, and can avoid potentially unnecessary surgery in an already extremely unwell infant.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

Laparoscopy in diagnosis and management of Meckel's diverticulum.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that laparoscopy can successfully diagnose otherwise elusive Meckel's diverticuli and at the same time offer a therapeutic access for successful resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two patients with anemia of unknown cause and a further patient with acute small bowel obstruction underwent diagnostic laparoscopy. A Meckel's diverticulum was identified in each case and successfully resected through a minilaparotomy. RESULTS: All three patients were successfully investigated and treated with laparoscopy with no morbidity or mortality. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy is a safe and effective surgical modality for diagnosis of atypically presenting Meckel's diverticulum and has a therapeutic role that results in an excellent cosmetic result.

Adolescent↗

Benefit of operative laparoscopy for ovarian tumors suspected of benignity.

Ovarian tumors need to be treated systematically due to the risk of complications and degeneracy. The aim of this study was to show the usefulness of laparoscopic surgical treatment of ovarian tumors suspected of benignity. From September 4, 1985 through December 1, 1989, 108 patients were operated on in our unit for ovarian tumors suspected of benignity (absence of clinical and ultrasound scanning signs of malignancy). There were 111 operations due to three recurrences. Operative laparoscopy was carried out 100 times. The laparoscopic operations were 71 transparietal cystectomies, 20 intraperitoneal cystectomies, 8 transparietal oophorectomies, and 1 intraperitoneal oophorectomy. Of these, 43 operations were performed in emergency situations and 57 were not. Eight patients were pregnant at the time of laparoscopic treatment, there were no miscarriages. Average operation time and hospital stay duration were 51.80 min and 3.27 days, respectively. Three borderline tumors were diagnosed (one through laparoscopy and two through histology) and were treated by secondary laparotomy. Operative laparoscopy was the only treatment for ovarian tumors 98 times out of 111 (88.28%). A histological diagnosis was obtained in every case. Laparoscopic treatment of the tumor was efficient and safe. For ovarian tumors suspected of benignity this technique is of double interest: diagnostic and therapeutic. Operative laparoscopy allows determination of a histological certainty without the disadvantages of laparotomy.

Adult↗

Measurement of gastric and small bowel electrical activity at laparoscopy.

Recordings of gastric electrical activity can be employed in the diagnosis of certain gastric motility disorders. Since the best recordings are obtained from electrodes implanted at laparotomy, the scope of application of this technique is limited. The current study details a method of measuring gastric electrical activity at laparoscopy. The patients were 3 Caucasian women whose age range was 16 to 30 years. Their pertinent history included symptoms of nausea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain. Gastric and small bowel electrical activity was measured with stainless steel electrodes implanted into the serosa of the stomach and small bowel at laparoscopy. Laparoscopy was performed for small bowel biopsy, bowel resection, or feeding tube placement. The recorded signals were evaluated by manual analysis. Good quality gastric and small bowel electrical activities were obtained. Amplitude, frequency, rhythmicity, and direction of propagation information were readily obtained by visual inspection. Laparoscopic measurement of gastric electrical activity produces excellent quality recordings comparable with recordings from electrodes implanted at laparostomy. The technique combines the advantage of laparoscopy with the usefulness of serosal measurement of gastrointestinal electrical activity.

Adolescent↗

Acalculous cholecystitis: the use of diagnostic laparoscopy.

Acalculous cholecystitis (AC) carries a high mortality in the critically ill patient. This is partly due to the delay in its diagnosis. Clinical diagnostic examinations are often misleading. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the use of laparoscopy as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of the critically ill patient suspected of having AC. From May 1993 to January 1994, we evaluated 10 critically ill patients. Mean age was 56 years (range 17-90 years). Nine of the patients were trauma victims (8 blunt, 1 penetrating). The other patient was postcoronary bypass surgery. The laparoscopy was done after a mean of 15 days (range 6-54 days) after ICU admission. All patients were receiving ventilatory support, and all patients had elevated temperatures of greater than 38.5 degrees C. Five patients had abdominal tenderness, and 6 had elevated liver function tests (LFT). Six laparoscopies were done under local anesthesia and IV sedation at the bedside, and 4 were done in the operating room. All patients tolerated the procedure well with no complications. The laparoscopic findings were gangrenous cholecystitis in 2 patients. They both underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomies in the operating room. We elected to drain a very distended gallbladder in 1 patient, who eventually was found to have an empyema of the chest. The other 7 examinations were normal. Six of these patients recovered and were discharged. Our results suggest that laparoscopy can be used in the diagnosis of acalculous cholecystitis. Its positive and negative findings are valuable in the treatment of the critically ill. It can be done safely at the bedside.

Adolescent↗

Pulmonary function and pain after gastroplasty performed via laparotomy or laparoscopy in morbidly obese patients.

We have compared severely obese patients (body mass index > 35 kg m-2) undergoing laparoscopic or open gastroplasty (n = 15 in each group) to determine if laparoscopy results in any benefit in the obese. Postoperative pain, measured on a 100-mm visual analogue scale, and opioid consumption were recorded during the first two days after operation. Tests of pulmonary function were performed and SpO2 was measured 4 h after surgery and on days 1, 2 and 3 after operation. Pain at rest was similar in the two groups, but in the laparoscopy group, requirements for postoperative opioid were 50% less (P < 0.05). Pain intensity during mobilization and on coughing was significantly less after laparoscopy (differences between mean pain scores in both groups ranged from 20 to 32 mm during mobilization and from 32 to 34 mm during coughing). Forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s and peak expiratory flow rate were reduced significantly less after laparoscopic gastroplasty than after open gastroplasty (on day 1 forced vital capacity was reduced by 50% compared with 64%, forced expiratory volume in 1 s was reduced by 50% compared with 66% and peak expiratory flow rate by 45% compared with 60%). SpO2 values were significantly greater in the laparoscopy group (day 1: mean 95 (SD 2)% vs 91 (5)%; day 3: 97 (1)% vs 94 (3)%). This study suggests that the beneficial effects observed after laparoscopic gastroplasty in morbidly obese patients were similar to those reported after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in non-obese patients.

Adult↗

Visible and non-visible endometriosis at laparoscopy in fertile and infertile women and in patients with chronic pelvic pain: a prospective study.

In 100 consecutive patients who were undergoing laparoscopy for infertility (group 1, n = 52), chronic pelvic pain (group 2, n = 18) or tubal sterilization (group 3, n = 30, asymptomatic fertile women), peritoneal biopsies were taken from areas of visually normal peritoneum of uterosacral ligaments. Twenty-six patients in group 1 (50%), eight patients in group 2 (44.4%) and 13 patients in group 3 (43.3%), were found to have laparoscopic evidence of endometriosis elsewhere in the pelvis. The majority of women (80.7% in group 1, 87.5% in group 2, and 100% in group 3) had stage I disease. The incidence of the distinctive appearances of the lesions was similar in the three groups of patients and 7% of all women or 15% (7/47) of those patients having endometriosis at laparoscopy had only subtle (non-¿typical') endometriotic peritoneal lesions. Uterosacral biopsies showed the presence of endometriotic tissue in three cases (5.7%), two cases (11%) and three cases (10%) in groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively. One of the two patients in group 2 and two of the three patients in group 3 had no evidence of endometriosis at laparoscopy; thus histological study revealed the presence of endometriosis in normal peritoneum in 11% (5/47) of patients having macroscopic endometriosis and in 6% (3/53) of patients without endometriosis at laparoscopy. Previous oral contraceptive users were significantly higher among women having macroscopic and/or microscopic endometriosis than among women without the condition. In conclusion, our prospective study shows a high prevalence (45-50%) of endometriosis (including microscopic forms) in both patients with chronic pelvic pain and asymptomatic women (fertile and infertile), thus supporting the modern concept that in many women endometriosis may be a paraphysiological condition while probably only in some patients small amounts of endometriosis are an ¿annoyance' with implications to their reproductive health and may produce symptoms (e.g. pelvic pain) and therefore should be defined as a ¿dis-ease'. Previous use of oral contraceptives may increase the risk of developing endometriosis.

Adult↗

Ovarian pregnancy and operative laparoscopy: report of eight cases.

We report a series of eight cases of ovarian pregnancy treated by operative laparoscopy during the last 12 years. This rare ectopic pregnancy (2.6% of all extra-uterine pregnancies in our experience) is difficult to diagnose prior to surgery. Earlier diagnosis is now possible, owing to the availability of highly specific radioimmunoassay for human chorionic gonadotrophin and the development of transvaginal ultrasonography. Primary ovarian pregnancy is distinguished by some authors from distal tubal pregnancy, in which a secondary ovarian implantation is possible. The therapy is surgical and currently more conservative than in the past, because of improvement in operative laparoscopy. Laparoscopy allows a short hospital stay, less physical stress and a favourable cost-benefit ratio. Moreover, its low risk of adhesion formation is important with regard to reproductive prognosis: in the light of this, since the patients are generally young and desire future childbearing, laparoscopy may be the treatment of choice.

Adult↗

Surgical complications of diagnostic and operative gynaecological laparoscopy: a series of 29,966 cases.

A multicentre study was carried out in seven top French centres for laparoscopic gynaecological surgery. This series covers a period of 9 years, in which 29,966 diagnostic and operative laparoscopic operations were performed. The risk of complications has been assessed according to the complexity of the laparoscopic procedure in question. The means of diagnosis and treatment of the complications have been analysed, together with the importance of the surgeon's degree of experience. The mortality rate was 3.33 per 100,000 laparoscopies. The overall complication rate was 4.64 per 1000 laparoscopies (n = 139). The rate of complications requiring laparotomy was 3.20 per 1000 (n = 96). The complication rate was significantly correlated with the complexity of the laparoscopic procedure (P = 0.0001). One in three complications (34.1%; n = 43) occurred while setting up for laparoscopy, and one in four (28.6%) were not diagnosed during the operation. As new indications for laparoscopic surgery in gynaecology have appeared, there has been a parallel and statistically significant increase in the rate of urological complications (P = 0.001). Increased experience by the surgeons has had three consequences: a statistically significant drop in the number of bowel injuries (P = 0.0003), a drop in the rate of complications requiring laparotomy for those laparoscopic surgical procedures that are well defined (P = 0.01), and a change in the way complications are treated, with a significant increase in the proportion of incidents treated by laparoscopy (P = 0.0001).

Female↗

Diagnosis and management of organic ovarian cysts: indications and procedures for laparoscopy.

In the field of gynaecological surgery, the past few years have been significant due to the development of operative laparoscopy. Originally recommended for the diagnosis of female infertility, over the past 15 years laparoscopy has acquired the standing of a surgical discipline in its own right. Laparoscopic surgical treatment of ovarian cysts, whether conservative or radical, has now been completely standardized. The aim of this work is to specify the indications, procedures and risks involved with this surgery as applied to organic ovarian cysts. Only benign ovarian cysts are suitable for treatment by laparoscopic surgery; ovarian cancer must always be handled by classic surgery using a mid-line laparotomy. Given that clinical and other pre-operative investigations can give only an indication, ovarian lesions require surgical investigation to diagnose the histological type. Laparoscopy appears to be as reliable as laparotomy when assessing whether an ovarian tumour is malignant. The risk of parietal contamination and peritoneal dissemination if a malignancy is not recognized means that, if there are no signs of extra-ovarian extension, adnexectomy is mandatory whenever there is the slightest doubt. This adnexectomy must obey two important rules: it must be accomplished without rupturing the cyst, and the cyst must be placed, intact, inside an endoscopic bag before being extracted. Provided that all stages of the procedure, from pre-operative work-up to the initial diagnostic phase of the laparoscopy, are carried out meticulously, laparoscopic surgery is reliable for both the diagnosis and the management of benign organic-ovarian cysts.

CA-125 Antigen↗

Clinical value and cumulative pregnancy rates following rigid salpingoscopy during laparoscopy for infertility.

This study was designed to evaluate the routine use of rigid salpingoscopy during diagnostic laparoscopy for infertility, and to relate the morphologic image of the endosalpinx with pregnancy outcome. A total of 158 consecutive patients (232 Fallopian tubes) undergoing a diagnostic laparoscopy for infertility were studied. Salpingoscopy was performed at the time of diagnostic laparoscopy for infertility. The intraluminal image was classified using a simplified classification (class I-V). The relationship between this classification and the cumulative pregnancy rates was calculated using life table analysis. Patients with a normal salpingoscopy (class I and II) had a 71% cumulative pregnancy rate. In the intermediate group (class III) the cumulative pregnancy rate was 34%. No intrauterine pregnancies were observed in the group with severe intratubal pathology (class IV and V). Of the 107 slapingoscopies of patients with endometriosis 105 (98%) were class I or II. However, among patients with pelvic adhesions, only 42% were normal. Nine out of 50 abnormal salpingoscopies were found when no tubal factor was suspected during laparoscopy, without any pelvic adhesions. These results suggest that salpingoscopy is an important tool for detecting mucosal abnormalities, and for eventually referring patients for assisted reproductive technology. Salpingoscopy is usually normal in patients with endometriosis, but in patients with non-endometriotic pelvic adhesions it is not.

Adult↗

Small-dose selective spinal anesthesia for short-duration outpatient laparoscopy: recovery characteristics compared with desflurane anesthesia.

UNLABELLED: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare the recovery characteristics of selective spinal anesthesia (SSA) and desflurane anesthesia (DES) in outpatient gynecological laparoscopy. Twenty ASA physical status I patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopy were randomized to receive either SSA with lidocaine 10 mg + sufentanil 10 microg or general anesthesia with DES and N(2)O. Intraoperative conditions, recovery times, postanesthesia recovery scores, and postoperative outcomes were recorded. Intraoperative conditions were comparable in both groups. All patients in the SSA group were awake and oriented at the end of surgery, whereas patients in the DES group required 7 +/- 2 min for extubation and orientation. SSA patients had a significantly shorter time to straight leg raising (3 +/- 1 min versus 9 +/- 4 min; P < 0.0001) and to ambulation (3 +/- 0.9 min versus 59 +/- 16 min; P < 0.0001) compared with the DES group. SSA patients had significantly less postoperative pain than DES patients (P < 0.05). We concluded that SSA was an effective alternative to DES for outpatient gynecological laparoscopy. IMPLICATIONS: This study compared the use of a desflurane general anesthetic to a small-dose spinal anesthetic in ambulatory gynecological laparoscopy. Using the spinal technique, patients can walk from the operating room table to a stretcher on completion of surgery. Their recovery time was similar to that of the desflurane group.

Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗

The impact of morbid obesity, pneumoperitoneum, and posture on respiratory system mechanics and oxygenation during laparoscopy.

UNLABELLED: We studied the effect of morbid obesity, 20 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum, and body posture (30 degrees head down and 30 degrees head up) on respiratory system mechanics, oxygenation, and ventilation during laparoscopy. We hypothesized that insufflation of the abdomen with CO(2) during laparoscopy would produce more impairment of respiratory system mechanics and gas exchange in the morbidly obese than in patients of normal weight. The static respiratory system compliance and inspiratory resistance were computed by using a Servo Screen pulmonary monitor. A continuous blood gas monitor was used to monitor real-time PaCO(2) and PaO(2), and the ETCO(2) was recorded by mass spectrometry. Static compliance was 30% lower and inspiratory resistance 68% higher in morbidly obese supine anesthetized patients compared with normal-weight patients. Whereas body posture (head down and head up) did not induce additional large alterations in respiratory mechanics, pneumoperitoneum caused a significant decrease in static respiratory system compliance and an increase in inspiratory resistance. These changes in the mechanics of breathing were not associated with changes in the alveolar-to-arterial oxygen tension difference, which was larger in morbidly obese patients. Before pneumoperitoneum, morbidly obese patients had a larger ventilatory requirement than the normal-weight patients to maintain normocapnia (6.3 +/- 1.4 L/min versus 5.4 +/- 1.9 L/min, respectively; P = 0.02). During pneumoperitoneum, morbidly obese, supine, anesthetized patients had less efficient ventilation: a 100-mL increase of tidal volume reduced PaCO(2) on average by 5.3 mm Hg in normal-weight patients and by 3.6 mm Hg in morbidly obese patients (P = 0.02). In conclusion, respiratory mechanics during laparoscopy are affected by obesity and pneumoperitoneum but vary little with body position. The PaO(2) was adversely affected only by increased body weight. IMPLICATIONS: Morbid obesity significantly decreases respiratory system compliance and increases inspiratory resistance. Increased body weight, and not altered mechanics of breathing, was associated with worse PaO(2) during laparoscopy.

Adult↗

Comparison of postoperative respiratory function after laparoscopy or open laparotomy for cholecystectomy.

Cholecystectomy performed via laparotomy is associated with reduction of lung volumes including functional residual capacity that may lead to postoperative hypoxia and atelectasis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with faster recovery compared to open laparotomy and cholecystectomy. To determine whether laparoscopic cholecystectomy was associated with less pulmonary dysfunction, 20 patients (ASA Physical Status I) undergoing elective cholecystectomy were randomly assigned to surgical teams performing either laparoscopy or open laparotomy for cholecystectomy. Patients in whom one or the other surgical technique had to be performed for medical or psychologic indications were excluded from the study. A standardized anesthetic technique and postoperative analgesic regimen were used. Forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s; functional residual capacity determined by a closed-circuit, constant volume helium dilution technique; and arterial O2 and CO2 tensions were measured preoperatively and at 6, 24, and 72 h postcholecystectomy. Forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s were significantly greater (P less than 0.05) in the laparoscopy compared to the laparotomy group at 6, 24, and 72 h postoperatively. Forced vital capacity relative to preoperative values was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in patients with laparoscopy (24 h, 70 +/- 14%; 72 h, 91 +/- 6%) compared to open laparotomy (24 h, 57 +/- 23%; 72 h, 77 +/- 14%). Similarly, forced expiratory volumes in 1 s relative to preoperative values were significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in patients with laparoscopy (24 h, 85 +/- 13%; 72 h, 92 +/- 9%) compared to open laparotomy (24 h, 54 +/- 22%; 72 h, 77 +/- 11%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasonography avoid exploratory laparotomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective study evaluates the value of laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasonography (USG) in avoiding exploratory laparotomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Laparotomy and intraoperative USG is the gold standard to determine the resectability of HCC. No palliation can be offered to patients found to have unresectable disease, and the surgical exploration causes morbidity. METHODS: From June 1994 to June 1996, 110 of 370 patients (30%) with HCC were considered candidates for possible hepatic resection. Preoperative liver function was assessed using Child-Pugh grading and indocyanine green retention test. The extent of disease was evaluated with radiologic studies, including percutaneous USG, computerized tomography scan, and hepatic angiogram. Nineteen patients were excluded from the study because of previous upper abdominal surgery (n = 12), ruptured tumors (n = 4), refusal by patients (n = 2), and instrument failure (n = 1). Laparoscopy and laparoscopic USG was performed on 91 patients immediately before a planned laparotomy aiming at hepatic resection. Laparotomy was aborted when definite evidence of unresectable disease was found on laparoscopic examination. RESULTS: The median time required for laparoscopy and laparoscopic USG was 30 minutes (range, 10 to 120 minutes). Fifteen patients had evidence of unresectable disease on laparoscopic examination. Among the remaining 76 patients who underwent laparotomy, 9 had exploration only and 67 underwent hepatic resection. Thus, exploratory laparotomy was avoided in 63% of patients with unresectable disease. The laparoscopic examination failed to confirm unresectable disease more often when the tumor was >10 cm in diameter. The procedure accurately assessed the adequacy of the liver remnant and the presence of intrahepatic metastases, but it was less sensitive in determining the presence of tumor thrombi in major vascular structures and the extent of invasion of adjacent organs. When unresectable disease was detected without the need for a laparotomy, the postoperative recovery was faster, and the nonoperative treatment for the tumor could be initiated earlier. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy with laparoscopic USG avoids unnecessary laparotomy in patients with HCC and should precede a planned laparotomy aiming at hepatic resection.

Adolescent↗

Laparoscopic ultrasound enhances standard laparoscopy in the staging of pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To define the role of laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) in the staging of pancreatic tumors. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Laparoscopy has recently been established as a valuable tool in the staging of pancreatic cancer. It has been suggested that the addition of LUS to standard laparoscopy could improve the accuracy of this procedure. METHODS: A prospective evaluation of 90 patients with pancreatic tumors undergoing laparoscopy and LUS was performed over a 27-month period. LUS equipped with an articulated curved and linear array transducer (6 to 10 MHz) was used. All patients underwent rigorous laparoscopic examination. Clinical, surgical, and pathologic data were collected. RESULTS: The median age was 65 years (range 43 to 85 years). Sixty-four patients had tumors in the head, 19 in the body, and 3 in the tail of the pancreas. Four patients had ampullary tumors. LUS was able to image the primary tumor (98%), portal vein (97%), superior mesenteric vein (94%), hepatic artery (93%), and superior mesenteric artery (93%) in these patients. LUS was particularly helpful in determining venous involvement (42%) and arterial involvement (38%) by the tumor. This resulted in a change in surgical treatment for 13 (14%) of the 90 patients in whom standard laparoscopic examination was equivocal. CONCLUSIONS: LUS is useful in evaluating the primary tumor and peripancreatic vascular anatomy. When standard laparoscopic findings are equivocal, LUS allowed accurate determination of resectability. Supplementing laparoscopy with LUS offers improved assessment and preoperative staging of pancreatic cancer.

Adult↗