[Risk of laparoscopic surgery. 100 records of complications. A qualitative study]

A total of 100 accidents occurring during laparoscopic surgery between 1969 and 1993 were studied. Fifty-five of the cases concerned gynaecology surgery over a 24 year period. The other 45 concerned digestive surgery over a 5 year period (1989-1993). The surgical risk was not statistically greater compared with open surgery. Overall morbidity was 1%. Overall mortality was 0.5/1000. A more precise statistical analysis was recently reported. The examination of the 100 cases was qualitative rather than quantitative. The study demonstrated an imbalance between age (mean age 38 years) in patients with major pathology initially and the gravity of the induced accidents: 26 deaths for 100 observations. These deaths were related to technology trocar, capnoperitoneum, electrocoagulation. Technical skill, cautiousness, vigilance and humility are qualities the surgeon must have to perform successful operations. The irreversible acceleration of the new surgical technique should not cloud the basic precepts of sound surgical technique.