Management of abdominal lymphoproliferative diseases in the era of laparoscopy.
BACKGROUND
The treatment of lymphoproliferative diseases requires extensive histological, immunohistochemical, and cytogenetic diagnosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of 66 laparoscopic procedures in the diagnosis, staging, and restaging of hematological malignancies localized in the abdominal cavity.


METHODS
Between July 1993 and March 1998, 64 consecutive patients (28 male and 36 female; mean age 46.6 years, range 7 to 69) with diagnosed or suspected lymphoproliferative diseases were referred for primary diagnosis or reassessment and for staging/restaging.


RESULTS
Sixty-two out of 66 procedures (93.9%) were completed laparoscopically.


CONCLUSIONS
The minimally invasive approach, in the management of lymphoproliferative diseases, is able not only to provide an adequate specimen for proper diagnostic techniques, but also, when compared with open surgery, to offer a large number of advantages.
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D003582:Cytogenetics; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology