Reduction of laparoscopic-induced hypothermia, postoperative pain and recovery room length of stay by pre-conditioning gas with the Insuflow device: a prospective randomized controlled multi-center study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of Insuflow (Georgia BioMedical, Inc.) filter heater hydrator device in reducing the incidence, severity and extent of hypothermia, length of recovery room stay and postoperative pain at the time of laparoscopy. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled multi-center study. Patients underwent gynecologic procedures via laparoscopy; surgeons, anesthesiologists and recovery room personnel assessed the results. SETTING: Seven North American institutions. PATIENTS: Seventy-two women for safety evaluation and efficacy studies. INTERVENTIONS: Intraoperative pre-conditioning of laparoscopic gas with the Insuflow device (treatment) or standard raw gas (control) during laparoscopic surgery and postoperatively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence, severity and extent of hypothermia, postoperative pain perception and length of recovery room stay. RESULTS: The Insuflow group had significantly less intraoperative hypothermia, reduced length of recovery room stay and reduced postoperative pain. Pre-conditioning of laparoscopic gas by filtering heating and hydrating was well tolerated with no adverse effects. The safety profile of the Insuflow pre-conditioned gas showed significant benefits compared to currently used raw gas. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-conditioning laparoscopic gas by filtering heating and hydrating with the Insuflow device was significantly more effective than the currently used standard raw gas and was safe in reducing or eliminating laparoscopic-induced hypothermia, shortening recovery room length of stay and reducing postoperative pain.

Diagnostic and operative microlaparoscopy: a preliminary multicentre report.

Microlaparoscopes have been evaluated for minimally invasive laparoscopy using minimal anaesthesia or analgesia since our preliminary report on microlaparoscopy in 1993. This international multicentre report of safety and efficacy of diagnostic and operative microlaparoscopy was completed to evaluate the role of microlaparoscopy in a wide spectrum of gynaecological indications, diagnoses of pelvic and tubal disease, tubal occlusion and assisted reproduction. A total of 408 patients from seven centres around the world were included in this report. Of the 164 patients who underwent microlaparoscopy under local analgesia only three patients (1.8%) converted to i.v. sedation because of pain intolerance. All 71 patients who underwent microlaparoscopy under i.v. sedation as planned tolerated the procedure with acceptable pain level perception. Only one abdominal wall minor bleeding and one uterine wall minor bleeding were recorded in the remaining 173 patients who underwent microlaparoscopy under general anaesthesia. Visualization of the pelvic organs was sufficient in all 408 cases for diagnosis and treatment of selected pelvic pathology. We concluded, based on this sizeable microlaparoscopy series, that this outpatient procedure can replace large diameter laparoscopy for diagnosis and treatment of various pelvic conditions. Microlaparoscopy can safely replace large diameter laparoscopy in motivated patients who require minor operative procedures such as tubal occlusion, minor adhesiolysis, tubal gamete or embryo transfers and fulguration of endometriotic implants. This series demonstrated that operative microlaparoscopy can be carried out under general anaesthesia, reducing to nil the potential damage of a large diameter tracer. Future improvements in i.v. sedation in combination with i.p. local anaesthesia will potentially eliminate the need for general anaesthesia in some of the patients undergoing minor operative microlaparoscopy.

Office laparoscopy under local anesthesia.

It is no secret that health care has changed, and we must change with it. As equipment and drugs become more sophisticated, surgical procedures are becoming less complicated to perform, and patients are experiencing less morbidity and mortality. Industry is continually addressing the product needs of surgeons who are or will be performing office laparoscopy under local anesthesia so that it can be done with the greatest of ease and safety. Therefore, the environment in which surgical procedures are performed should become less technically complicated as well. As hospitals are downsizing and more and more procedures are moving into outpatient and office settings, there is a tremendous opportunity for nurses to assume the challenge of OLULA and expand their horizons in a new direction. There is no better time for nurses to use the professional skills they were educated for, that is, to provide continuous bedside nursing care for patients undergoing office laparoscopy under local anesthesia while maintaining the perioperative skills that they have grown to love. For more information about office laparoscopy, contact the American Association of Office Endoscopy, 3088 Rosa Parks Avenue, Montgomery, AL, 36105. Telephone: (334) 262-0259.

No scalpel, no iv, no stitch, microendoscopic office laparoscopy under local anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: The medical literature is replete with articles verifying the usefulness of laparoscopic procedures under local anesthesia. Recent research has examined the efficacy of microendoscopy with local anesthesia. In this series of patients, we focused on new technology to determine if microendoscopy could be utilized in an office setting. METHODS: Between July 1994 and April 1995, we performed 51 microendoscopic office laparoscopy under local anesthesia (MICRO-OLULA) using the 1.5 mm Pixie laparoscope by Origin, a 1.7 mm laparoscope by Optimed and 5 mm laparoscope by Jarit. All cases were performed in an office operating room at the Women's Medical Plaza in Montgomery, Alabama. Only one patient was unable to have the procedure completed due to intolerance under local anesthesia. RESULTS: Fifty-one micro-olulas were performed on these patients who had an average age of 31 years and an average weight of 157 pounds. Intraoperative abdominal time averaged 3 minutes. One case was done with a 5 mm laparoscope and five cases with the 1.7 mm Optimed laparoscope. The 1.5 mm Pixie laparoscope was used in 45 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our patients seemed to like the idea of a small device to view their pelvic cavities. The small laparoscopes provide excellent cosmesis, and laparoscopes deserve further development and clinical trial to determine their most advantageous use in the office setting.

Low-cost office laparoscopic sterilization.

Between September 1986 and February 1992 we performed 210 laparoscopic tubal ligations in our office under local anesthesia using the Hulka clip. During the last 2 years we used a microchip video camera and endocoagulated the fallopian tubes adjacent to the clip in 84 women. The length of time for each procedure ranged from 15 to 30 minutes (average 20 min). There were no intraoperative complications. Failure to tolerate abdominal lifting (the "belly" test) was the only contraindication in this series. Previous abdominal surgery was not a contraindication. The three known failures in our first 69 cases were thought to be inaccurate clip applications. Subsequently, we added endocoagulation to the technique. Our procedure is cost efficient and time saving for both patients and physicians.