No. 193-Laparoscopic Entry: A Review of Techniques, Technologies, and Complications

Use of mixed gas pneumoperitoneum during minimally invasive surgery: a systematic review of human and mouse modelled laparoscopic interventions

The formation of pneumoperitoneum involves the process of inflating the peritoneal cavity during laparoscopic and typically uses CO2 as the insufflation gas. This review aims to identify ideal gas mixtures for establishing the pneumoperitoneum with animal and human studies undertaken up to the writing of this review. A systematic search of PubMed, OVID, and clinicaltrials.gov was performed to identify studies on the utilisation of mixed gases in laparoscopic surgery, including non-randomised/randomised trials, animal and human studies, and studies with inflating pressures between 12 and 16 mmHg. ROBINS-I and RoB2 tool was used to assess the risk of bias. A narrative synthesis of results was performed due to the heterogeneity of the studies. 5 studies from the database search and 5 studies from citation search comprising 128 animal subjects and 61 human patients were found. These studies collated results based on adhesion formation (6 studies), pain scores (2 studies) and other outcomes, with results favouring the use of carbon dioxide + 10% nitrous oxide + 4% oxygen. This has shown a significant reduction in adhesion formation, pain scores and inflammation. The use of this gas mixture provides promising results for future practice. Several of the studies available require larger sample sizes to develop a more definitive answer on the effects of different gas mixtures. Furthermore, the number of confounding factors in randomised trials should be reduced so that each component of the current suggested gas mixture can be tested for safety and efficacy.

Intraoperative and Postoperative Outcomes of Modified Bidirectional Intra-Umbilical Incision versus Infra-Umbilical Incision for Direct Trocar Insertion in Gynaecological Laparoscopy: A randomised controlled trial

Objectives

This study aimed to describe a modified, curved, deep, bidirectional, intra-umbilical, vertical incision for primary trocar insertion and prospectively compare its intraoperative and postoperative outcomes with an infra-umbilical incision in gynaecologic laparoscopy.

Methods

Between August 2019 and March 2021, 110 patients subjected to the direct trocar insertion technique for laparoscopic intervention were classified into two groups. Group A comprised 55 cases of infra-umbilical incision, whereas group B comprised 55 cases of a modified, curved, longitudinal, deep, bidirectional, intra-umbilical incision. Afterwards, intraoperative and postoperative assessments were performed.

Results

The increase in the numbers of parity, gravidity and previous caesarean sections was found to be statistically significant; a smaller number of infertility complaints were observed in group B. Similarly, group B expressed a statistically significant less peri-trocar CO2 leakage (46 [83.6%] patients versus 28 [50.9%] patients) and more tightness of the primary portal entry (45 [81.8%] patients versus 30 [54.5%] patients) when compared to group A throughout the whole operation. After a one-month follow-up, a statistically significant (P = 0.029) decrease in the Observer Scar Assessment Scale and Patient Scar Assessment Scale scores in group B (10.4 ± 4.2 and 11.8 ± 4.3, respectively), demonstrating better cosmoses when compared to group A (13.3 ± 5.7 and 16.0 ± 6.8, respectively).

Conclusion

Performing a modified, curved, deep, bidirectional, intra-umbilical, vertical incision for the insertion of a primary laparoscopic trocar (i.e. Darwish laparoscopic entry) is a simple and fast step that results in the elimination of intraoperative gas leakage and trocar slippage without the need for any additional sutures. Aesthetically, it results in a better scar with satisfactory cosmoses when compared to an infra-umbilical incision.

The shortest distance between the skin and the peritoneal cavity is obtained with fascial elevation: a preliminary prospective laparoscopic entry study

The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare the measurement of skin-to-fascia distances in the neutral state, during manual elevation and by fascial elevation in patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. In 53 patients, the distance between the skin and anterior wall of the rectus sheath was measured prospectively in following three different ways: (1) in neutral position, (2) during manual elevation and (3) during elevation of the fascia using forceps following an infraumbilical vertical skin incision. In all patients, subcutaneous tissue up to the fascia was dissected after a vertical skin incision. The skin-to-fascia distance of 30.9 mm (14.0-52.0 mm) in the neutral position decreased to 11.1 mm (0.0-26.0 mm) during the fascial elevation, while the mean distance increased to 40.1 mm (19-70 mm) during manual elevation (p < 0.001). In the closed laparoscopic entry technique in which a Veress needle is inserted into the peritoneum through a small incision, the needle should be introduced from the shortest distance between the skin and the peritoneum. Lifting the fascia with a proper surgical instrument in suitable patients could enable us to achieve this goal.

Gases for establishing pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic abdominal surgery

BACKGROUND

This is the second update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2013 and last updated in 2017. Laparoscopic surgery is now widely performed to treat various abdominal diseases. Currently, carbon dioxide is the most frequently used gas for insufflation of the abdominal cavity (pneumoperitoneum). Although carbon dioxide meets most of the requirements for pneumoperitoneum, the absorption of carbon dioxide may be associated with adverse events. Therefore, other gases have been introduced as alternatives to carbon dioxide for establishing pneumoperitoneum.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the safety, benefits, and harms of different gases (e.g. carbon dioxide, helium, argon, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and room air) used for establishing pneumoperitoneum in participants undergoing laparoscopic abdominal or gynaecological pelvic surgery.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, four other databases, and three trials registers on 15 October 2021 together with reference checking, citation searching, and contact with study authors to identify additional studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different gases for establishing pneumoperitoneum in participants (irrespective of age, sex, or race) undergoing laparoscopic abdominal or gynaecological pelvic surgery under general anaesthesia.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 10 RCTs, randomising 583 participants, comparing different gases for establishing pneumoperitoneum: nitrous oxide (four trials), helium (five trials), or room air (one trial) was compared to carbon dioxide. All the RCTs were single-centre studies. Four RCTs were conducted in the USA; two in Australia; one in China; one in Finland; one in Iran; and one in the Netherlands. The mean age of the participants ranged from 27.6 years to 49.0 years. Four trials randomised participants to nitrous oxide pneumoperitoneum (132 participants) or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (128 participants). None of the trials was at low risk of bias. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects of nitrous oxide pneumoperitoneum compared to carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on cardiopulmonary complications (Peto odds ratio (OR) 2.62, 95% CI 0.78 to 8.85; 3 studies, 204 participants; very low-certainty evidence), or surgical morbidity (Peto OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.14 to 7.31; 3 studies, 207 participants; very low-certainty evidence). There were no serious adverse events related to either nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (4 studies, 260 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Four trials randomised participants to helium pneumoperitoneum (69 participants) or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (75 participants) and one trial involving 33 participants did not state the number of participants in each group. None of the trials was at low risk of bias. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects of helium pneumoperitoneum compared to carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on cardiopulmonary complications (Peto OR 1.66, 95% CI 0.28 to 9.72; 3 studies, 128 participants; very low-certainty evidence), or surgical morbidity (5 studies, 177 participants; very low-certainty evidence). There were three serious adverse events (subcutaneous emphysema) related to helium pneumoperitoneum (3 studies, 128 participants; very low-certainty evidence). One trial randomised participants to room air pneumoperitoneum (70 participants) or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (76 participants). The trial was at high risk of bias. There were no cardiopulmonary complications, serious adverse events, or deaths observed related to either room air or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum.    AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The evidence is very uncertain about the effects of nitrous oxide, helium, and room air pneumoperitoneum compared to carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on any of the primary outcomes, including cardiopulmonary complications, surgical morbidity, and serious adverse events. The safety of nitrous oxide, helium, and room air pneumoperitoneum has yet to be established, especially in people with high anaesthetic risk.

Recent advances in benign gynecological laparoscopic surgery

Minimally invasive surgery continues to transform the field of gynecological surgery and is now the standard of care for the surgical treatment of many diseases in gynecology. Owing to minimally invasive surgery's clear advantages, new advances in technology are being employed rapidly and enabling even the most complicated procedures to be performed less invasively. We examine recent literature on minimally invasive surgical innovations, advances, and common practices in benign gynecology that, from our point of view, made an impact on the way laparoscopic surgery is performed and managed in the last decade.

Nonobstetrical Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery in Pregnancy: A Systematic Literature Review

Urologic and gynecologic surgeons are the top utilizers of robotic surgery; however, nonobstetrical robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) in pregnant patients is infrequent. A systematic literature review was performed to ascertain the frequency, indication and complications of RALS in pregnancy. Results showed 38 pregnancies from eleven publications between 2008 and 2020. Five cases were for urologic indication and 33 for gynecologic indication. Minimal surgical alterations were required. Although no adverse maternal-fetal outcomes were reported, there are not enough cases published to determine safety. This review demonstrates the feasibility of RALS for the pregnant population in the hands of competent robotic surgeons.

Laparoscopic surgical access in morbidly obese women undergoing endometrial cancer surgery: Repurposing the left upper quadrant approach

OBJECTIVE

The study purpose was to report the outcomes of patients undergoing endometrial cancer surgical staging with laparoscopic abdominal access entry using a left upper quadrant (LUQ) access technique.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted from 1 January 2013 to 1 January 2018. The setting was an academic, single institution gynecologic oncology service with a high volume of minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The patient cohort included obese (defined as BMI > 30 kg/m²) or morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m²) women undergoing MIS for endometrial cancer staging. All patients underwent laparoscopic abdominal access via a 5-mm or 10-mm optical trocar system using a LUQ technique.

RESULTS

In total, 317 patients were included with a median age of 54 years (range, 24-79) and median BMI 42.5 kg/m² (range, 32-70); 60 % morbidly obese. Successful LUQ access was achieved in 98.1 %. Of those with a failed LUQ approach, two had undergone previous LUQ surgery and 4 had ≥1 previous midline vertical incisions. There was one LUQ trocar-related visceral injury (0.3 %) and no vascular injuries during the study period.

CONCLUSION

A LUQ abdominal technique is a safe and reliable method of laparoscopic access in morbidly obese women undergoing MIS for endometrial cancer staging. This may be the preferred method of laparoscopic access for women with a panniculus or central adiposity, given the caudal displacement of the umbilicus and poor correlation with intraperitoneal anatomic landmarks in this setting.

Laparoscopic entry techniques: What is the controversy?

OBJECTIVE

To review reported complications related to the different laparoscopic entry techniques in the human and veterinary literature and describe the benefits and limitations of each technique.

STUDY DESIGN

Literature review of 57 peer-reviewed articles.

METHODS

An electronic database search identified human and veterinary literature describing complications related to entry technique during laparoscopy.

RESULTS

Open- and closed-entry techniques may result in trauma of abdominal organs or vasculature. During laparoscopy in man, injury to bowel and major vasculature is reported in 0.02% and 0.04% of procedures with open- or closed-entry techniques, respectively. Designs of Veress needles and trocar cannula assemblies have been developed to improve ease and safety. Early complications, defined as those observed at the time of port entry into the abdominal cavity, result from the puncture of a blood vessel leading to substantial visible hemorrhage. Late complications are detected 24 or 48 hours after surgery and result from the puncture of a loop of intestine that was not detected at the time of initial surgery. The major reasons for iatrogenic trauma in man are related to anatomical factors and the presence of adhesions. No explanation for cause of complications was identified for animals.

CONCLUSION

There is no consensus in the human or veterinary literature about the best entry technique for laparoscopy. The rate of complications related to entry technique in small animals is not known because the data are underreported.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Complications related to entry techniques are expected in both man and animals. Improvements in techniques and equipment design are being developed to minimize risk.

Laparoscopic Insertion of Various Shaped Trocars in a Porcine Model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The number of laparoscopic procedures increases annually with an estimated 3% of complications, one third of them linked to Verres' needle or trocar insertion. The safety and efficacy of ports insertion during laparoscopic surgery may be related the technique but also to trocar design. This study aims to compare physical parameters of abdominal wall penetration for 5 different trocars.

METHODS

Eleven pigs were studied. Five different commercially available trocars were randomically inserted at the midline. Real-time video recording of the insertions was achieved to measure the excursion of the abdominal wall and the time and distance the cutting surface of the bladed trocars was exposed inside the abdominal cavity. An especially designed hand sensor was developed and placed between the trocar and the hand of the surgeon to record force required for abdominal wall perforation.

RESULTS

Greater deformations and forces occurred in nonbladed as compared to bladed trocars, and in conical trocars as compared to pyramidal pointed ones, except for peritoneum perforation. Greater distance and time of blade exposure occurred in pyramidal laminae as compared to conical.

CONCLUSION

The bladed trocars have lower forces and deformations in their introduction, and should be those that cause less injury and are more suitable for first entry. Conical and pyramidal trocars with the same blade size showed similar force, deformation, time, and distance of exposed blade.

Are optical trocars free of complications?

Optical view trocars provide an acceptable level of safety for port entry during minimally invasive surgery. Nevertheless, this technique is not exempt from potential complications. These can range from a minor subcutaneous insufflation that will not require any further treatment to abdominal aorta injuries.