Laparoscopic abdominal surgery is a surgical procedure that involves the insertion of short, narrow tubes into the abdomen through small incisions. A few studies have indicated a relationship between LAS and small intestinal obstruction, but the results remain to be mixed. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and mechanisms of intestinal obstruction following laparoscopic surgery.
This retrospective review included cases of intestinal obstruction after laparoscopic surgery. The study included a total of 24 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery and had confirmed intestinal obstruction. The primary outcome of the study was the prevalence of intestinal obstruction, along with its descriptive data.
The findings indicated that cholecystectomy (10 cases), transperitoneal hernia repair (5 cases), and appendectomy (4 cases) were most frequently associated with intestinal obstruction. The prevalence of early postoperative intestinal obstruction after the three aforementioned procedures was 0.11%, 2.5%, and 0.16%, respectively. The cause of intestinal obstruction was adhesions or fibrotic bands in 12 cases and intestinal incarceration in 11 cases. The location of obstruction was at the trocar site in 12 cases and in the operative field in 10 cases.
The research concluded that intestinal obstruction following laparoscopic surgery is very high, especially with cholecystectomy, transperitoneal hernia repair, and appendectomy.
Ref: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/390506?resultClick=1
