OBJECTIVETo determine the feasibility and possible superiority of laparoscopic surgery for chronic adhesive small bowel obstruction(CASBO).

METHODSClinical data of 36 CASBO patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery in Jinling Hospital from March 2011 to August 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. In addition, 36 cases, matched by age, gender, previous abdominal surgery history, body mass index(BMI) and abdominal adhesion grade, who underwent open surgery from April 2007 to February 2011 were used as controls. General information, operative findings and short-term outcomes were compared between two groups.

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). Among 36 cases in laparoscopic surgery group, 17 underwent complete laparoscopic surgery, 10 underwent laparoscopic assisted surgery and 9 were converted to open surgery, respectively. The conversion rate was 25%(9/36). Reason of laparoscopic assisted surgery in 3 cases was uncertainty of small bowel injury, in 5 cases was further dissection of intra-loop adhesion and in 2 cases was intestinal resection. Reasons for conversion were small bowel injury in 3 cases and severe adbesion at the abdominal wall in 6 cases. There were no differences between two groups in terms of adhesion score, intra-operative blood loss, operation time, need for small bowel resection, total hospital charge and intra- or post-operational complications. As compared to open surgery, laparoscopic surgery significantly shortened the incision length [median 2 (0 to 10) cm vs. 12(7 to 16) cm, P=0.000], and hospital stay [median 5 (2 to 28) days vs. 7 (4 to 26) days, P=0.001], and improved postoperative recovery of bowel movement [median 2(1 to 20) days vs. 3 (2 to 10) days, P=0.001].

CONCLUSIONLaparoscopic surgery can improve postoperative recovery of CASBO with similar morbidity as open surgery.