BACKGROUND: The role of laparoscopy in reducing the rate of non-therapeutic laparotomies and the morbidity in patients sustaining penetrating abdominal trauma has been widely discussed over the last years. The aim of this article is to report the initial experience from a university hospital in the laparoscopic management of penetrating abdominal traumas. METHODS: In a 3-year period, laparoscopy was performed in 37 patients who were hemodynamically stable and sustained penetrating abdominal trauma. Medical records were reviewed and the evaluation was conducted to determine indications for laparoscopy, associated injuries, the need for exploration, lenght of hospital stay and complications. RESULTS: There were 18 (48.6%) positive and 19 (51.4%) negative diagnostic laparoscopies (DL). In patients with positive DL, 8 (44.4%) underwent exploratory laparotomy. In this group, all of them had either therapeutic laparotomy or laparotomy for better lesion identification. There were 10 (55.6%) positive DLs, in whom laparotomy was not performed. Four of them had their injuries repaired laparocopically, hepatorraphy (n=2) and diaphragmatic repairs (n=2). The other ones had isolated nonbleeding injuries, and nontherapeutic laparotomy was successfully avoided. Patients were allowed a diet in the first postoperative day and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 3.8 days. CONCLUSION: Our initial experience confirms that laparoscopy is a good method of evaluation and treatment for penetrating trauma. The morbidity from an unnecessary laparotomy may be minimized when the procedure is well indicated, and treatment can be performed successfully in selected cases.
Laparoscopy; Wounds, gunshot; Wounds, stab; Wounds, penetrating; Laparotomy; Unnecessary procedures
