INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF A LINEAR STAPLER DURING OPERATIVE LAPAROSCOPY - REVIEW OF DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT, AND PREVENTION

We report 7 recent examples of intraoperative and postoperative complications and injuries resulting from the use of an automatic stapling device during operative laparoscopy. The cases were collected throughout the United States and represent a cross-section of common complications. This report should alert surgeons to the possibilities of ureteral, bladder, and bowel injuries, postoperative bleeding, and instrument malfunctions. In addition, precautions and techniques to prevent and resolve complications are discussed.