[Staging laparotomy for malignant lymphoma: interdisciplinary aspects and results (author's transl)]

Between 1963 and 1979 a total of 357 patients with malignant systemic lymphatic disease underwent splenectomy in the course of exploratory laparotomy. There were three groups: 1. Hodgkin's disease (215 patients), 2. non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (93), and 3. chronic lymphoid leukaemia (49). Comparing pre- and postoperative findings, primary exploratory laparotomy remained the most exact foundation for the differentiated treatment of Hodgkin's disease in stages I-III. Systematic staging laparotomy was of less importance for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphoid leukaemia because of the much more frequent invasion of bone marrow, spleen and liver. However, it should be considered more often in the management of such cases.