title: Optical trocars - types, indications, clinical experiences.
abstract: Since blind insertion of the Veress needle or the first trocar may cause serious complications, many surgeons prefer to perform a minilaparotomy to safely create the pneumoperitoneum. Optical trocars provide a third option, combining the advantages of the Veress needle with those of the Hasson trocar. We describe the optical trocars provided by two major producers of disposable laparoscopic instruments and report on our experience in using one of those trocars in over 500 operations without a single complication. In our opinion, optical trocars are safe and easy to handle, and offer several advantages over the use of the Veress needle and the minilaparotomy.