title: Laparoscopic assisted modification of the firlit abdominal wall plication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe a modification of the Firlit abdominal wall plication procedure for abdominal wall reconstruction in the prune-belly syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five boys with the prune-belly syndrome and 1 with congenital atrophy or hypotrophy of the internal and external oblique muscles underwent laparoscopic assisted abdominal wall reconstruction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 6 patients had excellent cosmetic results, with no weakness or sagging of the abdominal wall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopy appears to add to the Firlit procedure an increased measure of safety and a possible decrease in morbidity associated with opening the abdomen, and improved precision that enhances the results achieved with the original procedure and other abdominal wall repairs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, New York Medical College, Hawthorne, New York, USA. Isfranco@optonline.net
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D011535:Prune Belly Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods