Small bowel obstruction following laparoscopic lymphadenectomy.

We report 2 cases of small bowel obstruction following staging laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection for prostate adenocarcinoma. Short segments of ileum became incarcerated in the right lower abdominal trocar sites (10 mm.) in both patients. Laparotomy was done to repair the problem in both cases and in 1 small bowel resection was required because of strangulation. This complication can probably be prevented in the majority of cases by meticulous attention to trocar site closure at the termination of a laparoscopic procedure.