Endovideosurgery in the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal gunshot wounds

BACKGROUND: Endovideosurgery is not widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal and pelvic gunshot wounds, and the data are limited.

AIM: This study aimed to assess surgical injuries in patients with penetrating abdominal wounds and to demonstrate the use of endovideosurgery in real-world specialized surgical care for penetrating abdominal wounds.

METHODS: The use of endovideosurgery in specialized surgical care for abdominal wounds was analyzed. Indications and contraindications for laparoscopy in patients with penetrating abdominal and pelvic wounds were proposed.

RESULTS: Laparoscopy is a reliable direct visualization tool that allows for precise diagnosis of lesions in questionable clinical cases. The transition from diagnostic to therapeutic laparoscopy enables a timely primary surgical intervention with a minimal risk of surgical injury, which is beneficial for the postoperative period and facilitates subsequent evacuation of the wounded patient.

CONCLUSION: Diagnostic laparoscopy is an additional diagnostic tool in questionable clinical cases, where physical and subsequent imaging examination findings do not rule out a penetrating abdominal gunshot wound. The analysis indicates that endovideosurgery is used as a diagnostic tool in 20% of cases and enables the required surgical intervention in 56.7% of cases.