Operating room positioning, equipment, and instrumentation for laparoscopic bariatric surgery

Since 1995, the number of laparoscopic bariatric surgical procedures has dramatically increased both in the United States and in other countries. These advanced laparoscopic operations offer the advantage of more rapid recovery and dramatically reduced wound complication with established efficacy. For optimal efficiency and outcomes, laparoscopic procedures on obese patients require specialized laparoscopic equipment and instrumentation, including staplers and hand instruments, which are used with individual skill and coordinated teamwork to facilitate patient positioning, laparoscopic access, insufflation, visualization by camera, energy sources for transection and coagulation, flexible endoscopy, and voice activation and robotics, and to provide a fully integrated operating room layout.