Thread-passer for laparoscopic use. Preliminary results with a prototype

The Authors present their prototype of a thread-passer for laparoscopic use, devised, designed and produced by them. The prototype was made at the Politecnico di Torino, Department of Mechanical Engineering. This tool consists of a rod measuring 12 mm in diameter, with a curved dove-tailed slotted end to lodge and pass the surgical thread. A 5-mm diameter operative canal passes through the instrument to permit the passage of a dissector to grasp the thread. The Authors used the instrument during three cholecystectomies and three appendectomies. The aim is to pass the thread around an anatomical structure without any loose ends, using only one port to favour surgical manoeuvres and avoiding the use of much more expensive devices.