Geburtsh Frauenheilk
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Geburtsh Frauenheilk · Dec 1988
[Indications and results of diagnostic laparoscopy in the assessment of lower abdominal pain].
Between 1976 and 1986 laparoscopy was performed in 3,584 patients to establish the cause of acute and chronic lower abdominal pain. The most frequent indications for laparoscopy were lower abdominal pain of unknown etiology, adnexitis, and adnexal tumors. The overall level of agreement between the clinical and laparoscopic diagnoses was 56.8%. ⋯ It also proved impossible to establish any organic cause in 8% to 32% of the other cases clinically diagnosed. The principal advantage of laparoscopy is, that the diagnosis is definite, rendering medication and laparotomy unnecessary in many cases. This applies in particular, with regard to appropriate treatment for lower abdominal pain of unknown etiology with no organic findings, and the treatment of benign ovarian cysts.