Diagnostic laparoscopy.

The value of surgical laparoscopy for various therapeutic interventions has been well established. In recent years, the interest of gastroenterologists in this method has revived, since laparoscopy can provide additional information for the staging of oncological and liver diseases. The introduction of miniature lenses may have contributed to this process, and an increasing number of physicians are using minilaparoscopy due to its safety and easy handling. Surgical studies have mainly focused on the evaluation of laparoscopic ultrasound for the detection of liver and lymph-node metastases. In specialized centers, laparoscopic ultrasound is also used for the estimation of locoregional pancreatic tumor spread, but the diagnostic impact of the method, particularly in colorectal carcinoma, still remains to be determined. Remarkably, the number of publications from gastroenterology departments has tended to increase in comparison with last year's review.