Laparoscopy versus laparotomy for ovarian conservative surgery: a randomized trial in the rabbit model.

Abstract

Our purpose was to compare postoperative adhesion formation and reproductive outcome after the same ovarian surgical procedure performed by laparoscopy or laparotomy by means of microsurgical techniques. Twenty-eight New Zealand White female rabbits were randomly assigned to laparotomy or laparoscopy for the same standardized surgical procedure: both ovaries were grasped with atraumatic forceps and longitudinally incised on the antimesenteric side from the cortex to the hilum with a microelectrode delivering a tissue power density of 66,666 W/cm. The rabbits were then mated, and 2 weeks later a second-look laparotomy was performed by a blinded observer for the evaluation of postoperative adhesions, number of corpora lutea in each ovary, number of embryos in the ipsilateral uterine horn, and nidation index for each side. At second look no statistically significant differences were found in postoperative adhesion formation, number of corpora lutea, number of embryos, and nidation index between the laparoscopy and the laparotomy groups. Laparoscopy or laparotomy for ovarian conservative surgery do not appear significantly different in postoperative adhesion formation and reproductive outcome in the rabbit model.