[Ambulatory laparoscopy]

We present our experience with laparoscopy in 600 outpatients with several diseases in seven years (1982-1988). We performed 707 studies in 594 patients (99%), in six cases (1%) the examination was not feasible because of intra-abdominal adhesions. In 235 patients (39.16%) previous abdominal surgery was not considered a contraindication for the examination. We performed 295 hepatic biopsies, 69 adhesions cuts, 9 laparoscopic placement of Tenckhoff catheter and other procedures. The incidence of complications was 5.23%, related to laparoscopy 3.67% and to procedures 1.55%. Major complications occurred in four patients (0.56%), surgical intervention was required in one patient (0.14%). We neither had infectious complications, nor mortality. We conclude that laparoscopy can be an ambulatory procedure, because it has a low incidence of complications in skilled hands and is well tolerated.