Introduction

Diagnostic laparoscopy is a technique for viewing and for the biopsy of organs of the abdominal cavity. The technique in­volves distension of the abdominal cavity with gas followed by placement of a rigid telescope through a portal in the ab­dominal wall to examine the contents of the peritoneal cavity.

As with the advent of newer laboratory tests and imaging techniques, laparoscopy has also become a valuable diagnostic tool for many gastroenterology cases when appropriately ap­plied. The limited degree of invasiveness, diagnostic accuracy, and rapid patient recovery make laparoscopy an ideal techni­que for tissue biopsy or to perform selected ancillary procedu­res. Although an increasing number of diagnostic and surgical procedures are currently being performed using laparoscopy, this chapter will only concentrate on laparoscopic techniques associated with the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and the pancreas.

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