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Problems with technical equipment during laparoscopic surgery

An observational study

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Abstract

Background

This study was designed to investigate the incidence of technical equipment problems during laparoscopic procedures.

Methods

A video-capturing system was used, consisting of an analog video recorder with three camera image inputs and a microphone. Problems with all technical equipment used by the surgical team, such as the insufflator, diathermy apparatus, monitors, light source, camera and camera unit, endoscope, suction devices, and instruments, were registered.

Results

In total, 30 procedures were randomly videotaped. In 87% (26/30) of the procedures, one or more incidents with technical equipment (49 incidents) or instruments (9 incidents) occurred. In 22 of those incidents (45%) the technical equipment was not correctly positioned or not present at all; in the other 27 (55%), the equipment malfunctioned as a result of a faulty connection (9), a defect (5), or the wrong setting of the equipment (3). In 10 (20%) cases the exact cause of equipment malfunctioning was unclear.

Conclusions

The incidence of problems with laparoscopic technical equipment is high. To prevent such problems, improvement and standardization of equipment is needed, combined with the incorporation of checklist use before the start of a surgical procedure. Future research should be aimed at development, implementation, and evaluation of these measures into the operating room.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for this study was provided by a national healthcare insurance company in the Netherlands (DSW, Schiedam, The Netherlands).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Reinier de Graaf Group, Delft, The Netherlands

    E. G. G. Verdaasdonk, L. P. S. Stassen, M. van der Elst & T. M. Karsten

  2. Man Machine Systems Group, Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628, CD, Delft, The Netherlands

    E. G. G. Verdaasdonk, L. P. S. Stassen & J. Dankelman

Authors
  1. E. G. G. Verdaasdonk
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  2. L. P. S. Stassen
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  3. M. van der Elst
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  4. T. M. Karsten
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  5. J. Dankelman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. G. G. Verdaasdonk.

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Verdaasdonk, E.G.G., Stassen, L.P.S., van der Elst, M. et al. Problems with technical equipment during laparoscopic surgery. Surg Endosc 21, 275–279 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-006-0019-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-006-0019-2

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