8. Exposure
• Generalities
• Principles
As in conventional open surgery, all laparoscopic procedures begin with an exploration of the abdominal cavity. It is initially panoramic, to assess the quality of the preoperative gastrointestinal (GI) preparation by the degree of dilation of the small intestine. The surgeon also looks for areas of adhesion (greater omentum-parietal peritoneum), which may be present even in patients who have never undergone abdominal surgery.
The transperitoneal approach to an abdominal aortic aneurysm is difficult because of the depth of the operative field. Excellent exposure is therefore mandatory. This is related to the volume of the working space in the abdominal cavity, which depends on the following:
- the morphology of the patient (patients with flaccid obesity have the largest spaces);
- the presence or absence of intra-abdominal adhesions;
- the quality of the GI preparation.
Correct positioning of the patient and perfect understanding of the organization of the operating field are essential.
• Potential difficulties
Obesity with a flaccid muscular wall is not a major handicap, since the working space remains large. In obesity with a tonic muscular wall and short, fatty mesenteries, the intestinal loops must be arranged by increasing the tilt of the operating table until the laparoscopic intestinal retractor has been placed.
Intraperitoneal adhesions (which may be present even when there is no history of abdominal procedures) are identified during the exploration of the peritoneal cavity. These adhesions must be resected if they hamper the surgeon in arranging the bowel.
• Working space
• Intestinal preparation
Complete emptying of the digestive tract facilitates the arranging of intestinal loops. It is achieved by a strict, fiber-free diet 10 days prior to surgery.
• Position of the patient
The patient is maintained in place with a shoulder support placed at the level of the right shoulder, and by 2 rests placed on the right, one opposite the shoulder and the other opposite the lower part of the thigh. This way, the patient remains in a 25° Trendelenburg position with a 10° right tilt until the laparoscopic intestinal retractor has been placed.
• Pneumoperitoneum
Complete relaxation of the muscular wall increases the working space. The pressure of the pneumoperitoneum is maintained at 8 mm Hg during all laparoscopic steps of the operation.
• Arranging the bowel
• Principles
The arrangement of the intestinal loops requires gravity and organ retraction. The small intestinal loops are arranged on the right surface of the aorta until the laparoscopic bowel retractor is placed.
1. Liver
2. Greater omentum
The greater omentum and the transverse colon are arranged in the right subphrenic area. They are maintained in this position with a traction suture that is first inserted through an appendix epiploica and then through the wall.
1. Abdominal aneurysm
2. Left colon
The jejunum is arranged towards the right hypochondrium, below the right transverse mesocolon, while the ileum is placed in the right iliac fossa. The loops are kept in place by the Trendelenburg position and the right tilt of the operating table. A 5-pronged retractor introduced through trocar A may be used.
• Introducing retractor arm
1. Duodeno-jejunal flexure
The incision for the transparietal penetration of the metal arm of the bowel retractor must be placed vertically to the projection of the duodeno-jejunal flexure on the anterior abdominal wall. To properly localize this 3.5 mm opening, trials may be done with an 8 or 9 gauge needle.
When the metal arm has been placed in the peritoneal cavity, the polypropylene mesh with its longitudinal cuff is introduced through trocar B. Under videoscopic control, the cuff of the mesh is slipped around the metal arm. It is important to make sure that the distal end of the metal arm emerges from the mesh, on the other end of the cuff.
To prevent secondary slipping of the mesh along the metal arm, it is necessary to rapidly attach the proximal part of the mesh close to the insertion of the arm. This is done by introducing a traction suture into the abdomen through trocar B. The thread passes through the mesh and then through the abdominal wall.
After confirming that the angle of the metal arm is well positioned in the duodeno-jejunal flexure, the intra-abdominal part of the arm is applied along the root of the mesentery, on the right border of the aorta and the right common iliac artery. When the arm has been correctly positioned, it is fixed to the operating table. Finally, 2 or 3 additional traction sutures are placed through the middle and distal parts of the mesh. It can now effectively retract the bowel.
Once the laparoscopic intestinal retractor has been positioned correctly, the Trendelenburg position can be reduced from 25° to 5°, and the right tilt from 10° to 5°.
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