Incidence of bowel injury due to dense adhesions at the sight of direct trocar insertion.

A retrospective review of 4,532 outpatient laparoscopic procedures was conducted to determine the frequency of dense bowel adhesions at the level of the umbilicus. The umbilicus is the classical site of entry for the laparoscopic trocar. Using direct trocar insertion in all cases we encountered four bowel injuries. Bowel adhesion to the insertion site was noted in one case.