Laparoscopic surgery in cases of ovarian malignancies: an Austria-wide survey.

The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency of discovering a malignant ovarian mass when laparoscopy is used to manage an adnexal mass. A countrywide survey was undertaken in Austria, comprising questions about ovarian malignancy detected or accidentally treated by laparoscopy. The response rate of 66.7% represented a total of 54,198 laparoscopies, 16,601 laparoscopic surgeries on adnexal masses, and 108 cases of ovarian tumors subsequently found to be malignant (96 well-documented). Twenty patients were treated with laparoscopy alone. In 22 cases, laparoscopy was followed by immediate laparotomy. A delayed laparotomy (3-1415 days) was performed in 54 cases. Staging revealed FIGO classifications from stages Ia to IV. The follow-up time ranges from 2 to 220 months. Four recurrences have been reported. Thirteen patients died of tumor progression. Laparoscopic surgery on ovarian malignancies is a rare situation (0.65% of all endoscopic surgeries on adnexal masses). In cases of malignancy, a laparotomy has to be performed to ensure optimal staging and treatment.