Laparoscopic assessment of the jaundiced patient: a review of 53 patients.

Laparoscopy in the investigation of patients with jaundice allows visualization of intra-abdominal pathology, target biopsy of intra-abdominal lesions and percutaneous fine-needle cholangiography, all to be carried out at the one procedure. Formal laparotomy can then be planned electively or avoided completely in appropriate cases. In our experience we have found laparoscopy with percutaneous fine-needle cholangiography and biopsy to be a useful procedure in the diagnosis and management of jaundiced patients.