LAPAROSCOPIC TREATMENT OF SMALL-BOWEL OBS TRUCTION

The authors treated 16 patients with small bowel obstruction by 19 lap aroscopy (3 patients underwent 2 laparoscopies). The operation was per formed 4 times as an emergency and in 15 cases after resolution of the obstruction in patients who had already experienced such attacks. Adh esiolysis was complete in 14 cases and incomplete in 5 cases. Conversi on in laparotomy was necessary in one patient to cure a total obstruct ion. 2 operative complications were reported (bowel perforation during enterolysis) ; one of which required conversion into laparotomy). Thi s patient also developed post-operative complications whereas the post -operative course was uneventful for the other patients. Five patients developed an obstructive recurrence which required laparotomy in 2 ca ses and laparoscopy in the other 3 cases ; but for two patients, initi al enterolysis had been incomplete and a laparotomy was performed on a nother patient. Laparoscopic viscerolysis seems to be attractive but, the long-term outcome, and the frequency of adhesion recurrence need t o be defined.