[Parallel laparoscopic and echographic studies in hepatobiliary diseases]

Parallel laparoscopic and echographic examinations were performed to 382 patients with hepatobiliary diseases. Out of 201 patients with diffuse diseases of the liver, accurate diagnosis of liver cirrhosis was laparoscopically made in 98.4 per cent, and echographically in 85.6 per cent, in case of chronic persistent hepatitis in 100 per cent and 77.4 per cent resp. (the differences being statistically significant). Accurate diagnosis in a higher percentage was also laparoscopically made in chronic active hepatitis and liver steatosis as compared with the echographic method, the differences being statistically insignificant. In 134 patients with focal liver diseases, the accurate diagnosis of liver metastases was laparoscopically made in a higher percentage (in 92.5%, echographically in 88.75%) but in carcinoma of the gallbladder--echographically, the differences being statistically insignificant. In case of primary carcinoma and cystic formations of liver the potentialities of both methods are almost identical. Liver tuberculosis is only diagnoses by laparoscopy and liver biopsy.