Complications of laparoscopy
The complication rate of laparoscopy is low.13 In a review by the author of a series of cases involving diagnostic laparoscopy, the complication rate was less than 2%.1 Potential complications are listed in Table 1.13.
Serious complications include anesthetic- or cardiovascular-related death, bleeding, or air embolism.14 Minor complications are generally operative and are associated with inexperience or failure to understand the limitations and potential complications.??9 Key Facts
■ Laparoscopy is a valuable diagnostic tool used in small animal gastroenterology.
■ Laparoscopy is less invasive than exploratory laparotomy for obtaining biopsy samples from the organs of the abdominal cavity and is associated with a low complication rate.
■ Laparoscopy is considered the best means for obtaining liver biopsies for histology, culture, and metal analysis.
■ Laparoscopic pancreatic biopsies can confirm pancreatitis and/or pancreatic neoplasia and is rarely associated with complications.
■ Full-thickness intestinal biopsies can be obtained using laparoscopy-assisted techniques.