Laparoscopy in abdominal gunshot wounds.

The role of laparoscopy in the evaluation of abdominal trauma continues to evolve. It has been successfully used in blunt and penetrating trauma. We report our experience with diagnostic laparoscopy in 28 patients with abdominal gunshot wounds. We found a 100% accuracy and a 0% morbidity in patients with negative laparoscopy. We report a case in which laparoscopy was used to demonstrate an isolated nonbleeding liver injury due to a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Nontherapeutic laparotomy was avoided.