Emergency laparoscopy for suspected ovarian torsion: are we too hasty to operate?

Objective To reevaluate the rate of correct diagnosis of ovarian torsion (OT) in our department. Design Retrospective computerized chart review. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patient(s) Seventy-eight women who underwent laparoscopy for suspected OT. Intervention(s) Laparoscopy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Rate of true diagnosis of torsion, correlation with Doppler studies. Result(s) The preoperative diagnosis of OT was confirmed in only 36 (46.1%) of the patients. Immediate operation ( Conclusion(s) Despite 20 years of research, the accuracy of the preoperative diagnosis of OT remains low. The urge to operate can be attributed to the importance of preserving ovarian function in young women as well as to the availability and the low associated complication rate of laparoscopy.