Which condition is a relative contraindication to laparoscopic colon resection?

• A. Dense pelvic adhesions
• B. Small fixed mass
• C. Mild dehydration
• D. Cholelithiasis

Answer: (A)

Dense pelvic adhesions make laparoscopy for colon resection more risky and technically challenging. They distort normal anatomy and raise the chance of injuring bowel or pelvic structures during trocar placement and dissection, and they increase the likelihood that the operation will need to be converted to an open approach. Because of these higher risks, dense pelvic adhesions are considered a relative contraindication to proceeding laparoscopically.

The other scenarios do not pose the same level of concern. A small fixed mass can sometimes be removed laparoscopically depending on its characteristics and location. Mild dehydration is a preoperative optimization issue rather than a barrier to laparoscopy, and cholelithiasis by itself does not impede a laparoscopic colectomy.