LAPAROSCOPY IN ACUTE SURGICAL EMERGENCIES: A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF CURRENT PRACTICES AND OUTCOMES

Laparoscopy has progressively become a cornerstone in the management of acute surgical emergencies, demonstrating clinical advantages such as reduced postoperative pain, faster recovery, and lower infection rates. Its role has expanded beyond elective procedures to urgent scenarios including acute appendicitis, cholecystitis, and bowel obstruction. Despite these advances, its adoption remains variable across institutions due to concerns regarding patient selection, surgeon experience, and technical limitations. The objective of this narrative review is to critically evaluate recent developments in the application of laparoscopy in emergency surgical care, with emphasis on outcomes, indications, limitations, and future perspectives. This review was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases. Original studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and clinical guidelines published in the last five years were selected based on relevance and methodological quality. The analysis reveals that laparoscopy provides significant benefits in terms of morbidity and length of hospital stay in acute cases. However, specific scenarios such as peritonitis or hemodynamic instability require cautious patient selection. The literature also highlights the importance of training, hospital resources, and individualized approaches to ensure optimal results. Laparoscopic approaches in emergency settings represent a paradigm shift in surgical care. Broader implementation requires targeted education, infrastructure investment, and protocol development that consider both institutional and patient-specific factors.