title: Laparoscopy for chronic abdominal pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the utility of laparoscopy in patients with chronic abdominal pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was performed of 34 patients who underwent laparoscopy for chronic abdominal pain. Average patient age was 39 years. The majority were women. Most had undergone abdominal surgery in the past.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All procedures were performed laparoscopically. A positive finding was made in 65% of patients. Fifty-six percent of patients underwent adhesiolysis, but 26% required no operative intervention other than laparoscopic exploration. Notably, 73% of patients reported improvement in pain postoperatively, whether or not a positive finding had been made on laparoscopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This retrospective study suggests laparoscopy can identify abnormal findings and improve outcome in a majority of selected cases. Recommendations are provided for patient selection. Prior abdominal surgery is not an absolute contraindication to laparoscopic exploration for chronic abdominal pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Klingensmith
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Soybel
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000267:Tissue Adhesions