An Easy Technique for Laparoscopic Placement of Seprafilm

Abstract

The use of antiadhesive sheets has greatly reduced the number of postoperative adhesions after abdominal surgery. A major problem is that these sheets are difficult to deliver into the peritoneal cavity because they are not malleable and easily stick when wet. This article describes a simple technique for administering Seprafilm sheets onto the abdominal viscera after laparoscopic surgery. The Seprafilm sheets are dissolved before the end of surgery in warm normal saline and the solution is placed into a Toumey catheter tip syringe. The syringe is then attached to a Robinson catheter, which is introduced into the abdomen via a laparoscopic trocar. Under direct laparoscopic visualization, the Seprafilm solution is squirted into the damaged peritoneal surfaces. Long-term studies are needed to assess whether our Seprafilm solution technique has the same efficacy as the use of whole sheets.