Initial experience with laparoscopic ultrasonography in the staging of liver for colorectal cancer: A prospective study

• Published in: Annals of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 163 - 166
• Main Authors: Chan, Eva Sze-Wah, Chung, Chi-Chiu, Tsang, Wilson Wen-Chieng, Li, Michael Ka-Wah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Science Asia Pty. Ltd 01.11.2000
• Subjects: colorectal cancer; laparoscopic ultrasonography; liver metastases
• ISSN: 1028-4001; 1442-2034
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1442-2034.2000.00080.x

Objective: Studies on the use of laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS) in the staging of colorectal cancer are still scanty despite increasingly performed laparoscopic colorectal resection. We conducted a prospective study to compare and evaluate the sensitivity of LUS and preoperative ultrasound in the detection of liver metastases from colorectal primary. Method: From June 1998 to December 1999, 72 patients admitted for laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer were studied. Laparoscopic ultrasonography was successfully performed in 63 patients. The results were compared with the preoperative transabdominal ultrasound. Results: The results showed that LUS was more sensitive than preoperative transabdominal ultrasound in detecting liver metastases and located the lesions with a greater degree of precision. More benign and malignant hepatic lesions were demonstrated by LUS than by preoperative imaging. In four patients (6%) the surgical plan and the subsequent management were altered as a result of the LUS findings. Conclusion: Laparoscopic ultrasonography should be included as a standard component and essential step in laparoscopic colorectal resection. A large‐scale, prospective comparative study is warranted to confirm this.