The treatment of failed laparoscopy using open laparoscopy.

There are over 300,000 laparoscopies done each year in the United States, and about 60,000 in England. "Failed laparoscopies" in which the procedure cannot be accomplished, has variously been reported in 0.043-4.3/1000 cases. A reasonable estimate of failed laparoscopy of 0.75% suggest that up to 2250 cases of "failed laparoscopy" occurs each year in the USA and 450 in UK. The translation of such failures into the personal experience of patients and the overall cost is staggering despite the fact that failures are not common. Three cases of "failed laparoscopy" in which the procedure was easily completed by open laparoscopy are reported and discussed. Familiarity with the techniques of open laparoscopy could virtually eliminate the incidence of failed laparoscopies.