Device for Safely Closing Trocar Sites in Minimally Invasive Abdominal Surgery

摘要

Laparoscopic and robotic surgeries of the abdomen require a trocar to facilitate entry and removal of instrumentation. Some of these trocars are 5mm or less, but some trocars for these surgeries are larger, with 8mm to 15mm trocars commonly used. One of the well-known problems seen in minimally invasive surgery to the abdomen is the resulting defect left in the abdominal wall following removal of the trocars. Occasionally, especially after removal of larger trocars, a defect is left that is large enough to allow omentum or segments of small intestine to become entrapped within the resulting space in the abdominal wall. These trocar site hernias can cause pain, but they also may lead to small bowel obstruction and bowel ischemia or even infarction, perforation and death. The likelihood of a trocar site hernia is increased when the minimally invasive procedure requires removal of an organ or a mass. This often requires dilatation of the trocar site opening.