peritoneoscopic

Peritoneoscopic is an adjective relating to peritoneoscopy, the endoscopic examination of the peritoneal cavity. Peritoneoscopy is typically performed with a peritoneoscope or laparoscope, instruments inserted through small abdominal incisions after insufflation of the abdomen with carbon dioxide to create a working space. The procedure allows direct visualization of the peritoneum, omentum, and surfaces of intraperitoneal organs, and may be accompanied by targeted biopsies or limited therapeutic maneuvers.

In practice, peritoneoscopic assessment is usually carried out under general anesthesia. A rigid or flexible scope provides a video image that guides inspection and sampling. Biopsies can be taken from suspicious peritoneal lesions or the diaphragmatic or visceral surfaces; therapeutic steps such as adhesiolysis or drainage may be performed in selected cases. The approach allows staging of intra-abdominal malignancies, evaluation of unexplained ascites, assessment of peritoneal diseases, and confirmation of peritoneal or abdominal pathology prior to other treatments. It can also be used to evaluate gynecologic conditions in some contexts, though modern practice more commonly relies on laparoscopy.

Advantages of peritoneoscopic techniques include direct visualization and tissue sampling with minimal invasiveness compared with open surgery. Limitations include the risks inherent to minimally invasive procedures, such as bleeding, infection, injury to surrounding organs, and complications related to anesthesia. Image quality and access can be limited by prior abdominal surgery, extensive adhesions, obesity, or equipment limitations. In contemporary terminology, the term is largely superseded by laparoscopy, which broadly serves the same diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.