Serum laboratory values following uncomplicated laparoscopic urological surgery.
OBJECTIVE
Presentation of complications following laparoscopic surgery can be different from corresponding open surgical complications. While leukopenia has been identified as a common finding in patients with unrecognized bowel injury following laparoscopy, to our knowledge no study has determined if leukopenia or other serum abnormalities are unique to patients with laparoscopic complications. We present an analysis of postoperative laboratory values from patients after uncomplicated urological laparoscopic surgery.


METHODS
A retrospective review of 50 adult patients who had previously undergone uncomplicated laparoscopic urological procedures was performed. Exclusion criteria were preexisting hematological, immune, liver or pancreatic disorders. Common serum laboratory values were measured on postoperative day 1.


RESULTS
All values for bilirubin were within normal limits. Of patients undergoing a right side renal procedure, 10 of 16 (63%) had a postoperative increase in liver function tests. Amylase or lipase was increased in a total of 12 (24%) patients. Patients undergoing laparoscopic prostatectomy accounted for the majority of this group with 9 of 21 (43%) patients having increased amylase or lipase. Finally, there were no patients with immediate postoperative leukopenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Following uncomplicated laparoscopic procedures, bilirubin levels are rarely affected, amylase and lipase may be acutely increased following laparoscopic prostatectomy, and white blood count is commonly increased. While 16 (36%) patients had postoperative leukocytosis, leukopenia was not detected after uncomplicated laparoscopic urological surgery and should alert the surgeon to the possibility of an undiagnosed complication.
Anderson
J Kyle
JK
Clinical Center for Minimally Invasive Urologic Cancer Treatment, Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Matsumoto
Edward D
ED
Abdel-Aziz
Khaled
K
Svatek
Robert
R
Cadeddu
Jeffrey A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*