Laparoscopic Transabdominal Cerclage: A New Ideal Approach

Under general anaesthesia, the patient is placed in the modified dorsal lithotomy position. The patient is then prepped and draped in the usual fashion for an abdominal & vaginal procedure. A vaginal speculum is inserted into the vagina to expose both the cervix and posterior fornix. A uterine manipulator is inserted in the uterus in non-pregnant patients, followed by placement of a Foley's catheter in the bladder. As regards port placement, a 10-mm umbilical trocar & two 5-mm trocars in right & left lower quadrants are inserted.

• Introduction of Mersilene Tape into the Abdominal Cavity: A 5-mm non-absorbable Mersilene polyester suture, with adjacent partially straightened blunt needles, is introduced into the abdominal cavity through the 5-mm trocar. However, flattening the curvature of the needles, while introducing the tape into the abdomen, will eventually pose a challenge during placement of the stitch (the needles' curvatures guarantee that the tissue penetration is done away from the uterine vessels).

To overcome this problem, the following method was devised. A one cm suprapubic incision is made on the abdomen with a scalpel short of the peritoneum. A needle holder loaded with the needle is pushed through the incision until the tip is seen inside the peritoneal cavity. A grasper from one of the flank ports receives the tip and the needle is delivered carefully . The rest of the tape is pulled until the blunt end of the other needle appears, to be delivered in the same way but in the reverse order.

• Operative Steps The vesico-uterine peritoneum is opened using scissors & the urinary bladder is dissected downwards from the lower uterine segment to expose the uterine vessels anteriorly on both sides . Both needles are passed through the lower uterine tissue medial to uterine vessels on the right & left sides (from anterior to posterior) Then, both needles are passed through the remaining cervical tissue medial to uterosacral ligaments towards the posterior vaginal fornix (on the right & left sides) guided by laparoscopic illumination . When the needles' blunt ends pierce the vaginal vault, the assistant pull them through the posterior vaginal fornix . After trimming of both needles, the Mersilene tape is tied tightly behind the intravaginal segment of the cervix with five knots & the ends of the stitch are trimmed. The vesico-uterine peritoneum is then reapproximated over the laparoscopic cerclage with a running (00) Monocryl suture that is tied intracorporeally.