Cul‐de‐sac Insufflation to Induce Pneumoperitoneum: An Analysis of Rare Problems

Since 1977, cul‐de‐sac insufflation has been used to achieve pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic sterilization of 570 women. The authors have previously published findings on 350 of these women (Int J Gynaecol Obstet 17(4):375, 1980), reporting technical failure rates of 3.6% and 1.9% for a series of 195 and 155 women, respectively. The failure rate for the latest series of 220 women declined to 1.4%. Reasons for this lower rate and recurring causes of the failures are given, and recommendations for the use of cul‐de‐sac insufflation for inducing pneumoperitoneum are suggested.