title: Intravenous cannula: an instrument and a port in laparoscopic surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An intravenous cannula was used experimentally as a cheap and scarless alternative to an endoloop to provide retraction and lumen occlusion. It is also a miniport for introduction of ligatures and small catheters.
  
  
  METHODS
  This possibility was explored during standard procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This technique was successfully applied in 89% of laparoscopic cholecystectomies and 86% of laparoscopic appendectomies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In many instances a standard port for laparoscopic instruments was unnecessary, despite the fact that the authors did not intentionally work towards port number reduction for laparoscopic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Yan Chai Hospital, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, China. gusyeung@hotmail.com
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tse
mesh_terms: D001062:Appendectomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000295:instrumentation; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000295:instrumentation; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome