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Diagnostic Tools in ACS: CT Scan, Diagnostic Laparoscopy, and Exploratory Laparotomy

  • Ning Lu
  • Walter L. Biffl
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Hot Topics in Acute Care Surgery and Trauma book series (HTACST)

Abstract

The abdomen is a black box of diagnostic uncertainty. There is an old surgical adage that goes “never let the skin come between you and the diagnosis.” However, it is just that: an old adage. The surgeon has many alternatives to employ in situations in which the clinical diagnoses, or decision to operate, are not straightforward. In this chapter, three primary modalities are discussed: computed tomography (CT) scanning, diagnostic laparoscopy (DL), and exploratory laparotomy (LAP).

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Hawaii Residency Program in General SurgeryHonoluluUSA
  2. 2.Acute Care SurgeryThe Queen’s Medical CenterHonoluluUSA
  3. 3.Department of Surgery, John A. Burns School of MedicineUniversity of Hawaii—ManoaHonoluluUSA

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