Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - National Cancer Institute - Department of Oncology - Surgical

Surgical resection of upper gastrointestinal malignancies sometimes carries significant morbidity due to inaccurate pre - operative staging. The potential to prevent unnecessary laparotomy by means of accurate staging is the driving force behind the use of diagnostic laparoscopy (DL). Laparoscopy plays a complementary role with the pre - operative radiological investigation in the accurate staging of these tumors. DL. can visualize the primary tumor, identify hepatic or nodal metastases and detect small - volume peritoneal disease undetected by other noninvasive staging modalities. The procedure also facilitates obtaining biopsies and aspiration cytology. Laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) can detect hepatic metastases not detected by the conventional pre operative imaging. Palliative procedures such as laparoscopic gastric bypass and laparoscopic celiac plexus block to treat intractable pain can also be performed

Issued also as CD