Abstract
Summary :This descriptive, prospective study was conducted to evaluate the role of Laparoscopy in the diagnosis and management of blunt abdominal trauma.This study was conducted in the department of surgery unit-1,Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur and surgical unit-1,Chandka Medical College Larkana during a period of two years from June 2010 to May 2012.This study included 32 patients sustaining blunt abdominal trauma. Initially all the patients were resuscitated withintravenous fluids, analgesics,antibiotics, and blood transfusions if required and then investigated by Ultrasoundabdomen, plain x-ray abdomen and chest and other routine investigations.Laparoscopy was performed to diagnose and manage these patients according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.The organs injured with grading and type of injuries, the amount of blood in the peritoneal cavity and associated gut or diaphragmatic injuries were noted on the laparoscopy. The results were analyzed on SPSS version 10 and compared with national and international literature.Total number of patients was 32.Out of these 29 were male and only 03 female. The age of patients ranged from 12 to 60 years.The organs injured were spleen in 05 (15.6%)patients, liver in 17(53.12%),omental bleeding in 02 (6.25%), small bowel mesenteric bleeding in 06(18.75%) and associated Jejunal injuries in 02 (6.25%)patients. Only 03(9.37%)patients with Grade-III liver injury developed post-operative collection, 01(3.12%) patient developed biliary fistula and 01(3.12%)patient developed right sided pleural effusion.No post-operative bleeding or mortality was recorded in the study.Laparoscopy is useful in selected patients with blunt abdominal trauma as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool, avoiding unnecessary laparotomies

Key words: Blunt abdominal trauma, diagnostic laparoscopy, therapeutic laparoscopy.