Surgical laparoscopy & endoscopy
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Surg Laparosc Endosc · Feb 1998
The use of laparoscopy as a primary diagnostic and therapeutic method in penetrating wounds of lower thoracal region.
Diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) was found to be a sensitive and specific method that reduced the incidence of negative or nontherapeutic laparotomy in patients having penetrating abdominal trauma. Twenty-two patients with penetrating trauma of the lower thoracal region were evaluated by DL at the Emergency Department of the Istanbul Medical Faculty to decide on either laparotomy or conservative treatment. There were 7 (31.8%) female and 15 (68.2%) male patients. ⋯ All patients who underwent only DL was discharged within 24 hours. There were no mortality or morbidity. Mean follow-up period was 13 months, and no associated complication was encountered during this time.