Laparoscopy-assisted small bowel resection.

The increased use of laparoscopy in the management of gastrointestinal problems continues to expand. Procedures such as jejunostomies, diagnosis of intestinal obstruction or ischemia, resection of the small bowel, and lysis of adhesions can be managed with this technique. We present our experience with four cases undergoing laparoscopic resection of the small bowel. The mean age of the three males and one female was 55 years. The operative procedure was performed under general anesthesia with complete laparoscopic exploration of the abdominal cavity. The type of pathology and extent of disease was defined: one had leiomyoma, two had unspecific ileitis, and one had metastatic breast cancer. This was followed by exteriorization and resection. Patients were allowed to have a liquid diet the day of surgery. The average hospital stay was 3 to 4 days. The mean intraoperative time was 124 minutes. No postoperative complications were observed. Laparoscopic small bowel resection can be performed expeditiously and with minimal morbidity, allowing accurate diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.