The Utility of Diagnostic Laparoscopy in Patients Being Evaluated for Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Peritoneal Chemotherapy

Background: To assess the role of diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) to evaluate candidates for optimal cytoreduction surgery of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in a consecutive series. Methods: The characteristics of 31 patients undergoing DL between August 2012 and October 2016 for a diagnosis of PC secondary to digestive neoplasms were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Laparoscopic evaluation was successful and well-tolerated in 100% patients (N=31). In 17 patients (54.8%) the PC was deemed unresectable. A cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy was performed in 10 of 12 patients with PC considered resectable at laparoscopy wity a positive predictive value of 83.3%. One patient was diagnosed with more extensive disease than that as assessed by the DL at the time of laparotomy and 1 patient elected not to have further surgery. There were no port-site recurrences and morbidity at mean follow-up of 19.3 months. Conclusions: Laparoscopic assessment of PC is a useful tool to assess the complete resectability of peritoneal surface disease in patients for whom there is inadequate information concerning disease extent. DL also helps selected patients to avoid an unnecessary laparotomy. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Reprints: Alessio Pigazzi, MD, PhD, 333 City Blvd West, Suite 850, Orange, CA 92868. E-mail: apigazzi@uci.edu. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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