Rationale and intended use for the Veress needle: a translation of the original descriptive article

The technical development of equipment in the last decade has resulted in a rapid expansion in the range of procedures capable of being performed safely by a laparoscopic technique. For many procedures, the first step is induction of a pneumoperitoneum. This has inherent danger, and there is disagreement on the preferred technique. The Veress needle is an instrument developed in the 1930s that has continued to be used into the 1990s. In view of the controversy about its present role, the authors reviewed the article that provided the original description of the needle. This review demonstrates that the designer had a clear intention for its use and an understanding of the hazards involved. In his hands, the complications were few. A translation of the article from German into English is provided.