Laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) in gastrointestinal surgery

Intraoperative ultrasonography during abdominal surgery became widespread by availability of high-frequency, high-resolution transducers. It's usefulness has particularly been proven in biliar and gastrointestinal surgery. Our objective was to examine the method in laparoscopic cholecystectomy and in laparoscopic staging of malignancies of the upper gastrointestinal tract as well. Lapaoscopic ultrasound (LUS) examination was performed in 567 patients operated on because of biliary stones and in 12 patients with carcinoma in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. In accordance to the known criteria endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed in 89 patients, and additionally, ERCP was performed in 58 patients because of dilated common bile duct. Choledochal stones were demonstrated in 72 of the 147 patients. Laparoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated preoperatively undetected bile duct stones in 18 of these patients (12%). In 294 other patients without any criteria of bile duct stones, laparoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated bile duct stones in 11 patients (4%). Laparoscopic ultrasonography in 12 patients with proximal gastrointestinal malignancies demonstrated inoperability in all of the patients. Laparotomy could thereby be avoided. LUS examination is an ideal operative tool as it is safe, reproducible and requires no special patient preparation or positioning. The method of imaging is therefore justified for patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery because of biliary stones and gastrointestinal surgery.