Video

Each year, more than 2 million patients in this country undergo laparoscopic procedures, ranging from cholecystectomies to sterilization. During these procedures, trocars, or access ports, are inserted into the abdominal cavity to allow entry of the laparoscopic instruments. Although the vast majority of these surgeries are performed safely, it's possible to cause a life-threatening injury when inserting a trocar. In fact, between 1997 and mid-2002, FDA received more than 1300 injury reports, including approximately 30 deaths. Complications most likely to result in death included vascular injury and infection secondary to bowel injury. FDA recently issued a report on patient injuries from trocars used in during laparoscopic surgery. It's based on FDA adverse event reports, published literature, product recalls, trocar labeling, and patient educational brochures, and it outlines recommendations to prevent patient injuries.