Laparoscopy: A Comprehensive Approach for Diagnosis and Treatment of Abdominal Pain.

Abstract

Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive technique for visualization of the peritoneal cavity without creating large abdominal incisions. It has changed the treatment of abdominal pain in both emergency and elective settings. Many patients undergo exploration according to the conventional investigation; many are treated conservatively and discharged. However, in most cases, patients return with a recurrence or more definitive symptoms of pathology. Laparoscopy is now a well-known and accurate way to make a final diagnosis and avoid delays in making a diagnosis. Objective of the study was to evaluate the role of laparoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of abdominal pain where clinical symptoms and routine investigations are inconclusive. It was a prospective, cross-sectional study and the duration of the study was 6 months, from March 2016 to August 2016. All the patients who underwent laparoscopy for the diagnosis of abdominal pain were chosen using the purposive sampling technique. They were then investigated in accordance with the eligibility criteria, and 30 patients with abdominal pain that couldn't be diagnosed by clinical examination, routine investigations, and who consented to laparoscopy were included in this study. All data for the study were collected using a predesigned pro forma. After collecting the data, it is compiled, edited, and analyzed. After laparoscopy, 93.0% (28) of cases had a definitive diagnosis, while 6.67% (2) of cases had no obvious pathology. At the time of diagnosis, 66.67% (20) of patients underwent laparoscopic surgery and in 3.33% (1) of cases, they required conversion to laparotomy to treat the condition. Laparoscopic biopsy was taken in 16.67% (4) cases. In 3.33% (1) of the cases, a complication was observed related to laparoscopic port infection. The average hospital stay was 3.73 days and the average operation time was 65 minutes. Abdominal pain can be accurately, quickly and efficiently managed with laparoscopy. This procedure decreases the number of avoidable laparotomies while also improving diagnostic accuracy. Thus, physicians should consider diagnostic laparoscopy as the first invasive test for people with the unknown abdominal pain.