Complications of Nonbiliary Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery: Radiologic Findings and Clinical Courses

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological findings and clinical courses of the complications arising after nonbiliary laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery (NLGS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 131 patients who underwent NL-GS (83 cases involving colorectal surgery, 18 splenectomies, 14 appendectomies, ten adrenalectomies, three lumbar sympathectomies, two Duhamel 's operation, and one peptic ulcer perforation repair) over a four-year period. Among these 131 patients, the findings of fifteen in whom postoperative complications were confirmed were analysed. The radiologic examinations these patients underwent included CT (n = 8), barium enema and fistulography (n = 4), ultrasonography (n = 3), ascending venography of the lower legs (n = 2), and penile Doppler sonography (n = 1). We evaluated the radiologic findings and clinical courses of early (within 2 weeks) and late (after 2 weeks) postoperative complications. RESULTS: Sixteen cases of postoperative complications developed in fifteen patients ; in 14 (17%) after colorectal surgery and in one (6%) after splenectomy. Eleven of the sixteen cases (69%) involved early complications, consisting of an abscess in three, ischemic colitis in two, hemoperitoneum in one, perforation of the colon in one, pancreatitis in one, recto-vaginal fistula in one, deep vein thrombosis after colorectal surgery in one, and abscess after splenectomy in one. The remaining five cases (31%) involved late complications which developed after colorectal surgery, comprising anastomosic site stricture in two, abdominal wall (trocar site) metas-tasis in one, colo-cutaneous fistula in one, and impotence in one. Among the 16 cases involving postoperative complications, recto-vaginal fistula, colon perforation, and abdominal wall metastasis were treated by surgery, while the other thirteen cases were treated conservatively. CONCLUSION: Various postoperative complications develop after NLGS, with a higher rate of these being noted in cases involving colorectal surgery than in other cases.