[Is laparoscopic treatment of adhesions a valid approach for postoperative abdominal pain?]

The role of post-operative adhesions in chronic abdominal pain remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the value of laparoscopic treatment of adhesions for chronic post-operative abdominal pain in 32 patients. Over a period of 8 years, 32 patients (25 women and 7 men) with a mean age of 41.5 years (18-69) were hospitalized for chronic abdominal pain of more than 6 months duration, without an obvious underlying neoplasm or psychiatric disorder. They had all undergone at least one previous abdominal operation (mean, 1.9; range, 1-5), with a mean follow-up of 28 months (6-82). The mean duration of the pain was 18 months (6-65) and in 24 of the 32 cases it was mainly hypogastric. Other than the presence of a scar, the clinical examination was completely normal. Prior to hospitalization, 163 different laboratory tests, 162 radiological investigations, including 13 CT scans and 3 MRIs, and 25 endoscopies had been performed. A pneumoperitoneum was made by "open laparoscopy" in 23 cases and with Verres needle in 9 cases. Eight patients (25%) did not have any adhesions, but 6 of them were found to have a gynecological problem (endometriosis). In this group, the laparoscopy lasted 34 minutes (15-45) and the mean hospital stay was 48 hours. In 24 cases, adhesions were found and selected. This was thought to be complete in 22 cases (91.6%). There was a strict correlation between the adhesions and the scar in 85% of cases. In 5 cases, the adhesions were associated with another intervention. There were no conversions. The mean duration of surgery and hospitalization was respectively 56 minutes (32-120) and 3.2 days. There was no mortality and the morbidity rate was 4.1% (1 monopolar injury). The average follow-up was 26.7 months: 22 of the 24 patients who had freeing of adhesions were evaluated after at least 6 months of follow-up. In 10 cases, the pain had completely resolved (45%), in 6 it had decreased (27%) and in 6 cases it was unchanged or had even worsened (1 case of endometriosis). Laparoscopic exploration for chronic post-operative abdominal pain, after an extensive work-up performed after a suitably long delay post-surgery, can be used to detect and treat adhesions in 3/4 cases. In the absence of another lesion, the pain is lessened in 72% cases. However, if there is another lesion, laparoscopic treatment of adhesions is less effective with respect to the pain, but it nevertheless can identify an.