Clinical evaluation of a new ultrasonic Doppler instrument (SonoDoppler®) for the detection of blood flow during laparoscopic procedures

Complications may be avoided by exactly clarifying the structures in the operative field during laparoscopic surgery. We aimed to study the efficiency of a new ultrasonic Doppler device, SonoDoppler®, which offers an easy and efficient way of mapping the anatomy. The design of the study was prospective, open observational and carried out on a sample of 51 patients who were operated on in four hospitals. The surgeons were asked to identify a common hepatic artery, cystic artery and portal vein during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and corresponding structures during other laparoscopic procedures using the SonoDoppler® instrument. Total operation time (skin-to-skin) and duration of the SonoDoppler® use were measured. The main outcome measures were gain of additional safety and clinical value. A number of evaluations concerning the ergonomics, functionality and interactions with other instruments were also carried out. The SonoDoppler® instrument has the potential to help to assess and clarify the anatomy during laparoscopic procedures. Its use can be advocated not only for inexperienced surgeons, to help them map the vessels during surgery, but also for experienced surgeons during complicated cases and advanced procedures.