Diagnostic Laparoscopy & Laparoscopic Ultrasound

for diagnosis and staging of tumors

Diagnostic laparoscopy combined with laparoscopic ultrasound is used for staging various intra-abdominal tumors. Staging refers to the classification of the severity or development of the tumor. Laparoscopic ultrasound is a surgical imaging method that provides direct contact imaging of organs with high frequency ultrasound. This procedure improves selection of patients for tumor resection, thereby, reducing unnecessary surgery and false positive diagnosis.

Laparoscopic Palliative Procedures

for pancreatic tumors

Laparoscopic palliative procedures for pancreatic tumors can be in the form of a palliative bypass, such as a cholecystojejunostomy, when an obstruction is present and a cure is not possible or as laparoscopic delivery directly to a tumor when the tumor is inoperable by radiation therapy. Both of these palliative procedures are used to ease the devastation of the disease without curing.

Laparoscopic Enucleation

in islet cell tumors (insulinoma)

Laparoscopic enucleation of islet cell tumors has its best results in cases of insulinoma where there is usually a solitary benign lesion in the head of the pancreas or a lesion less than 1.0 cm in the tail of the pancreas. Laparoscopic enucleation refers to cutting away without cutting into the islet cell tumor.

Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy

A distal pancreatectomy refers to the partial removal of the pancreas, sometimes called a subtotal pancreatectomy. The procedure is usually performed when the pancreas has received permanent damage from a trauma injury, chronic pancreatitis or for the removal of tumors. Performed laparoscopiclylaparoscopically, the distal pancreatectomy can be completed through four to five 5 cm port entry incisions.

Laparoscopic Transgastric

pseudocyst drainage

See our procedure profile on psuedycysts. A pseudocyst in the pancreas or transgastric area of the gastrointestinal system is a common complication following an onset of acute pancreatitis. Cyst development blocks the pancreatic ducts causing pain and or gastric and biliary outlet obstruction. Depending on the size and condition of the cyst, a transgastric pseudocyst drainage can be performed using a laparoscope. Using between 4 and 5 entry ports, a laparoscopic aspiration needle is inserted into the cyst and the cyst fluid is drained.