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technique offered any advantage in terms of preventing major vascular or visceral complications. And keep in mind that injuries to anatomical structures can occur with just about any device — bladeless misadventures aren't out of the question. It comes down to this: There's no single right way to access the abdominal cavity, and surgeons' confidence in the techniques and devices they use goes a long way to ensuring it's done safely every time. OSM
Dr. Turner (pturner@facs.org) is the director of the division of member services for the American College of Surgeons and an adjunct associate professor in surgery at Northwestern University, both in Chicago, Ill.
