Diagnostic laparoscopy at Ramathibodi Hospital: 1979-1988.

A 10-year review of diagnostic laparoscopy at Ramathibodi Hospital was presented. There was a total of 6,033 laparoscopies performed from 1979 to 1988, of which 1,416 (23.5%) were diagnostic. The three most frequent indications were suspected ectopic pregnancy (459 cases, 32.4%), endometriosis (409 cases, 28.9%) and infertility (308 cases, 21.8%). The trend in performing diagnostic laparoscopy has been increasing from 79 procedures in 1979 to 230 in 1988. Laparoscopy plays a major role in making definitive diagnosis in many cases. Complications were found in only 4 cases (2.8/1,000 procedures).