One discussion this week involved laparoscopic entry techniques.

Reference: Ahmad G, et al. Laparoscopic entry techniques. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019 Jan 18;1:CD006583. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006583.pub5

Summary: In their updated systematic review on the topic, Ahmed et al (2019) included 57 RCTs including four multi-arm trials, with a total of 9865 participants, and evaluated 25 different laparoscopic entry techniques.

Overall, evidence was insufficient to support the use of one laparoscopic entry technique over another. Researchers noted an advantage of direct trocar entry over Veress needle entry for failed entry. Most evidence was of very low quality; the main limitations were imprecision (due to small sample sizes and very low event rates) and risk of bias associated with poor reporting of study methods.

Open-entry vs closed-entry: Evidence was insufficient to show whether there were differences between groups for:

• vascular injury (Peto OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.00 to 6.82; 4 RCTs; n=915; I²=N/A)
• visceral injury (Peto OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.06 to 6.08; 4 RCTs; n=915: I²=0%)
• failed entry (Peto OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.14 to 1.42; 3 RCTs; n=865; I²=63%)

Direct trocar vs Veress needle entry: Trial results show a reduction in failed entry into the abdomen with the use of a direct trocar in comparison with Veress needle entry (Peto OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.34; 8 RCTs; n=3185; I²=45%; moderate-quality evidence).

Direct vision entry vs Veress needle entry: Evidence was insufficient to show whether there were differences between groups in rates of:

• vascular injury (Peto OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.05 to 2.85; 1 RCT; n=186)
• visceral injury (Peto OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.01 to 2.34; 2 RCTs; n=380; I²=N/A)

Direct vision entry vs open entry: Evidence was insufficient to show whether there were differences between groups in rates of:

• visceral injury (Peto OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.00 to 6.50; 2 RCTs; n=392; I²=N/A)
• solid organ injury (Peto OR 6.16, 95% CI 0.12 to 316.67; 1 RCT; n=60)
• failed entry (Peto OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.04 to 4.09; 1 RCT; n=60)

Radially expanding (STEP) trocars vs non-expanding trocars: Evidence was insufficient to show whether there were differences between groups in rates of:

• vascular injury (Peto OR 0.24, 95% Cl 0.05 to 1.21; 2 RCTs; n=331; I²=0%)
• visceral injury (Peto OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.00 to 6.37; 2 RCTs; n=331)
• solid organ injury (Peto OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.07 to 16.91; 1 RCT; n=244)

(Ahmed et al, 2019, p.2)