Trocar site adhesions after laparoscopic surgery in children.
OBJECTIVE
To present our experience of the occurrence of trocar site adhesions in children following laparoscopic procedures.


METHODS
Retrospective case notes review of children who were found to have trocar site adhesions at repeat laparoscopy over a 10-year period between 1998 and 2008.


RESULTS
All 26 patients who had 28 episodes of repeat laparoscopic procedures were included in the study. There were 11 different procedures. Patient demographics and time interval between the procedures were noted. Trocar site to omentum or bowel adhesions were observed in 3 (10.7%) of the 28 episodes of laparoscopy. In 1 case (3.6% of the total), there were symptoms of small bowel obstruction that required laparoscopic adhesiolysis. The occurrence of adhesions following laparoscopic procedures was found to increase with the number of trocars used.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results buttress the claim that the risk of adhesion formation after laparoscopic surgery in children is low. The reduction in the number of trocars used seems to further reduce this risk.
Nwokoma
Ngozi J
NJ
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK. ngnwokoma@doctors.org.uk
Hassett
Sinead
S
Tsang
Thomas T
TT
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009852:Omentum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology