• Wai Yoong, Shika Saxena, Monica Mittal, Andreas Stavroulis, Elisha Ogbodo, and Mellisa Damodaram.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London N18 1QX, UK. wai.yoong@nmh.nhs.uk
• Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprod. Biol. 2010 Oct 1; 152 (2): 210-3.

ObjectivesAlthough the majority of laparoscopic complications result from improper Veress needle placement, the safety tests commonly used to determine correct placement are not always reliable. A prospective observational study (Canadian Task Force Classification II-2) was set up to determine the reliability of Palmer's and pressure profile tests in predicting the correct intraperitoneal placement of the Veress needle prior to insufflation.Study DesignOne hundred consecutive women undergoing gynaecological laparoscopic surgery between September 2006 and June 2007 were recruited. The operating surgeons conducted Palmer's and pressure profile tests in all 100 cases and recorded the ease with which these tests were performed and whether or not they felt that the needle placement was correct. They were also asked to comment on the saline drop test and double click acoustic test if appropriate.ResultsThe overall sensitivity of Palmer's test was 0.92 while its specificity was 0.5. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the pressure profile test were 0.99 and 0.75, respectively, making this a more reliable test for predicting intraperitoneal placement of the Veress needle.ConclusionsThe pressure profile test was a more reliable guide to confirming the correct placement of the Veress needle as a negative test is more likely to indicate failure to achieve intraperitoneal placement.Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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