Role of diagnostic laparoscopy in patients with non-specific abdominal pain and its correlation with clinical and radiographic findings

Abstract

Aim/Objectives

This study aims to evaluate the role of laparoscopy in patients presenting with chronic non-specific abdominal pain and also correlate the laparoscopic findings with clinical and radiographic findings in all such patients.

Materials and methods

This was a single-centre prospective cohort study conducted by the department of surgery from January 2001 to December 2014. One hundred fifty consecutive cases of chronic non-specific abdominal pain of unknown aetiology referred or admitted to surgical unit 6 were recruited in the study. After a detailed clinical history and examination, all patients were subjected to imaging studies and diagnostic laparoscopy. All the data was tabulated and analysed. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for continuous variables. Frequency distribution was depicted in the form of statistical tables.

Results

Out of 150 patients, chronic non-specific abdominal pain was most prevalent in the 41–50 years age group. There were 60 male and 90 female patients. The mean duration of pain was 10.92±6.80. Ultrasonography was normal in most of the patients (52%). Dilated bowel loops with free fluid was the most frequent positive finding (12%). Abdominal tuberculosis was the most common final diagnosis (32%) followed by affections of the female genital tract (26%). No diagnosis could be ascertained in 6% of the cases. USG and laparoscopy also showed a high degree of unison in picking up mass lesions and strictures. Re-exploration was the only complication.

Conclusion

Laparoscopy, apart from being a gold standard in diagnosis of non-specific abdominal pain, also extends the benefit of addressing the pathology at the same time.

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