OBJECTIVETo discover the anatomical basis of retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery.

METHODSTwenty Chinese adult cadavers including 12 and 8 woman were anatomized. The relationship between nerves, vessels of the lateral abdominal wall, retroperitoneal structures and the path of retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery were measured.

RESULTSIn male cadavers, the distance between the iliac crest and lumbar trigonum was 4.02 +/- 1.26 cm on the left, and 3.83 +/- 0.90 cm an the right. The distance between the iliac crest and ilio-hypogastric nerve was 0.82 +/- 0.13 cm on the left and 0.84 +/- 0.08 cm on the right. The distance between the subcostal nerve and XII rib in the posterior axillary line and midaxilla line was 0.79 +/- 0.26 cm, 1.65 +/- 1.12 cm on the left and 0.78 +/- 0.30 cm, 1.59 +/- 1.07 cm on the right respectively. The distance between the ureter of inferior pole of kidney and extra-border of psoas was 2.24 +/- 0.67 cm on the left and 2.19 +/- 0.73 cm on the right. The distance between crossing of the ureter and iliac vessels and extra-border of psoas was 3.91 +/- 0.59 cm on the left and 3.76 +/- 0.53 cm on the right. In female cadavers, the distance between the iliac crest and trigonum lumbale was 3.90 +/- 0.37 cm on the left and 3.87 +/- 0.37 cm on the right. The distance between the iliac crest and ilio-hypogastric nerve was 0.94 +/- 0.06 cm on the left and 0.93 +/- 0.10 cm on the right. The distance between the subcostal nerve and XII rib in the posterior axillary line and midaxilla line was 0.61 +/- 0.14 cm and 1.37 +/- 0.89 cm on the left and 0.64 +/- 0.13 cm, 1.32 +/- 0.95 cm on the right respectively. The distance between the ureter of inferior pole of kidney and extra-border of psoas was 2.00 +/- 0.23 cm on the left and 1.91 +/- 0.13 cm on the right. The distance between crossing of the ureter and iliac vessels and extra-border of psoas was 3.43 +/- 0.31 cm on the left and 3.85 +/- 0.43 cm on the right.

CONCLUSIONSThe top of the lumbar trigonum which is 2 cm above the iliac crest selected as the first point and 2 cm inferior to the XII rib in the posterior axillary line selected as the second point is the anatomical basis for retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery. It can reduce the opportunity to injury nerves, vessels and retroperitoneal structures while making retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery easy.