The saline ballooning method for peritoneal dissection during laparoscopic herniorrhaphy

M. Oka, K. Hiwaki, K. Takao, N. Iizuka, K. Yamamoto and T. Suzuki
Department of Surgery II, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Japan.

To improve the safety and speed of the peritoneal dissection, we developed a saline ballooning method in which a dull needle is inserted lateral to the inferior epigastric vessels under direct laparoscopic visualization to a tissue plane just superficial to the peritoneum. Then, saline solution is injected. As a result, the peritoneum is easily separated from the spermatic cord and inferior epigastric vessels. Furthermore, bleeding is minimized during dissection of the peritoneum.