Laparoscopic para-aortic lymph node biopsy for diagnosis of a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

We present a case report of a 76-year-old male with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed by laparoscopic transperitoneal infrarenal para-aortic lymph node biopsy. This is the second report of the use of this technique in diagnosing a nonpelvic malignancy. The patient was discharged from the hospital in less than 24 h, during which complete histologic and immunochemical typing were performed. Laparoscopic biopsy offers significant advantages as an alternative to either fine-needle biopsy or open laparotomy.