Gasless laparoscopy--useless or useful?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum for advanced operative laparoscopy has well-documented inherent pathophysiologic risks. Problems are associated with creating and maintaining the pneumoperitoneum, lowering body temperature, infective particles in the insufflation gas, and ensuring hemostasis of port entry sites after intraabdominal pressure is reduced. When the vagina is opened to remove surgical specimens or at the time of hysterectomy, loss of vision occurs. In some patients general anesthesia and CO2 pneumoperitoneum are contraindicated, and in them such problems could be avoided by gasless laparoscopy. Three types of mechanical anterior abdominal wall elevators have been used at the Melbourne Gynoscopy Centre for a variety of laparoscopic procedures, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages.