LOWER-EXTREMITY VENOUS STASIS DURING LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY AS ASSESSED USING COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASOUND

Lower-extremity venous stasis during laparoscopic cholecystectomy was evaluated in 16 patients by monitoring the blood velocity in the femor al vein and the femoral vein size (cross-sectional area) using color D oppler ultrasonography. The blood velocity in the femoral vein decreas ed significantly after the start of 10-mmHg abdominal insufflation in the supine position. When the patients were placed in a reverse Trende lenburg position during 10-mmHg insufflation, blood velocity in the fe moral vein further decreased. However, velocity returned to the baseli ne after deflation, The cross-sectional area of the femoral vein was s ignificantly elevated after the start of 10 mm Hg insufflation in the supine position. When patients were placed in the reverse Trendelenbur g position during IO-mmHg insufflation, this parameter was further ele vated, but returned to the baseline soon after deflation. These result s indicate that femoral vein stasis during laparoscopic cholecystectom y can be minimized by reducing the pressure of abdominal insufflation and avoiding elevation of the patient's head as much as possible.