Laparoscopic leash: a simple technique to prevent specimen loss during operative laparoscopy.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Surgical specimens can be lost in the peritoneal cavity during operative laparoscopy. Although specimens left might cause no complications, peritonitis and adhesion formation have been reported, requiring subsequent laparoscopy or laparotomy. We report a simple technique to prevent loss of surgical specimens during laparoscopy. TECHNIQUE A suture is placed through the specimen, and the trocar sleeve is removed. Free ends of the suture are held with a clamp outside the abdomen while the port is reinserted into the abdomen. The suture is pulled to see the specimen when necessary. When morcellation is required, the leashed area of the specimen is the last to be extracted. This procedure takes less than 2 minutes. EXPERIENCE We have used this technique for longer than 1 year for 18 myomectomies and seven bilateral salpingo-oophorectomies. No specimens were lost in the peritoneal cavity, and there were no complications related to the procedure. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic leash is a simple and reproducible preventive technique that adds insignificant time to operations but saves much time that might be wasted localizing a misplaced specimen.