Which statement describes port placement for small bowel examination?

• A. Ports all on the left side of the abdomen
• B. Ports distributed on all quadrants
• C. Ports on the right side
• D. Midline port placement only

Answer: (A)

Optimal exposure and instrument triangulation are essential when inspecting the small bowel with laparoscopy. Placing all ports on the left side creates a direct working corridor to the left abdomen, making it easier to bring small-bowel loops into view, sweep the entire length of the small intestine, and maneuver instruments without crowding or crossing from the right side. This setup also helps the assistant retracts the colon medially while the surgeon examines the loops from multiple angles, facilitating a systematic survey from proximal to distal segments. Using ports spread across all quadrants would disrupt this focused access and require awkward angulation; right-sided or midline-only placements limit exposure and reduce the ability to triangulate effectively for a thorough small-bowel examination.