[inches]

Dear All,

Could anyone tell me what is the purpose of the "side cap" appear on nearly every laparoscopic instrument? some said that is is for cleansing, some said that it is for easy steam penetration, but i think it is for balancing the intra-abdominal pressure while u inserting the inst into the abdominal cavity...what is the truth??

Inches

[ORSmurf]

Hi Inches,
I always thought the port was mainly for cleaning the insturment. Some of our docs use it to put some local in a specific area, like after a lap chole, they position the instrument in the gallbladder bed on the liver and get the local right in there.
It'll be interresting to see what others use it for.
Christine

Originally Posted by inches

Dear All,

Could anyone tell me what is the purpose of the "side cap" appear on nearly every laparoscopic instrument? some said that is is for cleansing, some said that it is for easy steam penetration, but i think it is for balancing the intra-abdominal pressure while u inserting the inst into the abdominal cavity...what is the truth??

Inches

[Marie_LPN]

I know Central Service uses it for cleaning. Have not heard any other reasons to use it.

[huckfinn]

For cleaning and steam penetration. The pressure equalization story is crap.

[inches]

Any document state that?!?

[Marie_LPN]

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com.../2b1feat3.html

[Marie_LPN]

http://www.stryker.co.uk/index/st_pa...strum.htm?wa=2

You might have to click on the the "if you are a medical professional" line to view this page.

[huckfinn]

Originally Posted by inches

Any document state that?!?

The insuflators have a pressure control mechanism that adjusts the gas volume and pressure dependent on the machine settings. Anyway, have you considered the gas displacment of a 5 or 10 mm instrument? Multiply the length that is actually in the trocar by the instrument diameter. A 35 cm 10mm instrument would only account for 35ml of Fluid volume. 35cc ic not a lot of gas considering it takes several liters of gas to distend an abdomen. Does it take a clinical study and associated research report to make that statement? No offense intended on the CRAP statement, just my loss of impulse control in my quick reply.
Huck

[inches]

Thank You.

[endotech]

The cap's purpose is to close the flush port (or cleaning port) during surgery. It helps keep the CO2 from leaking out. It may seem mlike a minimal amount of leakage but if you have 5 trocars inserted and all 5 flush port caps are not on the surgeon will have a hard time keeping the CO2 at the desired level.