Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a systematic review. Surg Endosc. 2011;25:367-377. [PMID: 20607556 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-010-1217-5]

Evaluating Patient Satisfaction and Quality of Life After Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Al-Qunfudhah Governorate, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Gallstone disease, commonly referred to as cholelithiasis, is a prevalent medical condition that has substantial global implications. Due to its numerous benefits, such as cheaper costs and shorter hospital stays, laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has replaced open surgery as the most often performed surgical method for treating a range of biliary problems in wealthy countries. Any medical procedure's long-term patient well-being must be assessed, starting with the quality of life (QoL), patient satisfaction, and postoperative healing.

AIM

The current study aims to evaluate patient satisfaction and QoL after undergoing LC in Al-Qunfudhah Governorate.

METHODS

 A cross-sectional study was conducted targeting all patients who underwent LC in Al-Qunfudhah Governorate during the period from January to March 2024. The online survey was initiated by the study researchers after an intensive literature review and experts' consultation. The validated questionnaire was uploaded online using Google Forms and distributed electronically via social media apps.

RESULTS

The current study included records of 200 participants where the highest proportion falls within the 26 to 35 age group, comprising 57 individuals (28.5%). In terms of gender, males represent the majority, with 109 participants (54.5%). A total of 122 individuals (61.0%) reported being satisfied with their procedures. Conversely, 18 patients (9.0%) expressed dissatisfaction. The majority of participants under investigation expressed satisfaction with their overall QoL after undergoing LC, with 84 patients (42.0%) reporting satisfaction and 67 patients (33.5%) reporting being very satisfied. Additionally, only a small proportion of participants expressed dissatisfaction or very dissatisfaction Conclusion: In summary, the current study demonstrated high satisfaction with the LC treatment and highly reported QoL, which were mostly attributable to a number of factors such as the staff's cooperation, the lack of severe problems, and the sufficiency of the pre-surgery information supplied.

Systematic Review of Utilized Ports in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Pushing the Boundaries

Introduction

Surgical procedures have undergone a paradigm shift in the last 3 decades, with minimally invasive surgery becoming standard of care for a number of surgeries, including the treatment of benign gallbladder diseases. By providing a thorough and impartial summary of the earlier published systematic reviews, the current systematic review is the first to present comparison results. This review illustrates the data of intraoperative and postoperative results of each laparoscopic cholecystectomy technique.

Materials and Methods

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was meticulously followed to conduct the present systematic review. MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Web of Science were searched for eligible publications, and a total of 14 systematic reviews were included. A newly developed extraction table was utilized to obtain the predefined parameters from eligible systematic reviews, including operative time, conversion rate, estimated blood loss, bile leak, length of hospital stay, postoperative pain, and cosmetic results. All statistical analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 26.0. The analysis of dichotomous results was summarized using relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), and continuous results were summarized using mean differences and 95% CIs. The proportions were compared using a single proportion z-test.

Results

The analysis of our primary and secondary outcomes revealed a statistically significant improvement in aesthetic results after single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) in comparison to the multiport approach of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This, however, is accompanied by extended operative timing and subsequently, prolonged exposure to anesthesia.

Conclusion

Patients should be carefully selected for SILC to minimize technical difficulties and prevent complications both intraoperatively and shortly after the procedure. This trial is registered with CRD42023392037.

Single-incision versus conventional multiport laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis according to disease severity: single center retrospective study in Korea

Purpose

The safety of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) for acute cholecystitis (AC) has not yet been confirmed.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study included patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for AC between April 2010 and December 2020. Propensity scores were used to match patients who underwent SILC with those who underwent conventional multiport LC (CMLC) in the entire cohort and in the two subgroups.

Results

A total of 1,876 patients underwent LC for AC, and 427 (22.8%) underwent SILC. In the propensity score-matched analysis of the entire cohort (404 patients in each group), the length of hospital stay (2.9 days vs. 3.5 days, p = 0.029) was shorter in the SILC group than in the CMLC group. No significant differences were observed in other surgical outcomes. In grade I AC (336 patients in each group), the SILC group showed poorer surgical outcomes than the CMLC group, regarding operation time (57.6 minutes vs. 52.4 minutes, p = 0.001) and estimated blood loss (22.9 mL vs. 13.1 mL, p = 0.006). In grade II/III AC (58 patients in each group), there were no significant differences in surgical outcomes between the two groups. Postoperative pain outcomes were also not significantly different in the two groups, regardless of severity.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that SILC had similar surgical and pain outcomes to CMLC in patients with AC; however, subgroup analysis showed that SILC was associated with poor surgical outcomes than CMLC in grade I AC. Therefore, SILC should be carefully performed in patients with AC by experienced hepatobiliary surgeons.

Meta‑analysis of single-incision laparoscopic versus multi-trocar laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair

Whether single-incision laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (SIL-TEP) inguinal hernia repair is similar or superior to multi-trocar laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (MTL-TEP) inguinal hernia repair is controversial. We conducted this meta-analysis to compare the safety, efficacy and cosmetic effect of the two surgical methods. We systematically searched the Cochrane Library, Embase database and PubMed database for published studies on SIL-TEP and MTL-TEP inguinal hernia repair. The studies were screened and evaluated for quality according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis. Twenty studies were included, including 7 randomized controlled studies and 13 nonrandomized controlled studies. Meta-analysis revealed no significant difference between SIL-TEP and MTL-TEP inguinal hernia repair in terms of unilateral operation time (P = 0.12), bilateral operation time (P = 0.72), pain score on the first day after operation (P = 0.61], chronic pain rate (P = 0.61), total complication rate (P = 0.26), hospital stay (P = 0.72), and recurrence rate (P = 0.83), but the cosmetic effect score (P = 0.002) was higher in the former. These findings demonstrate that SIL-TEP inguinal hernia repair is safe, reliable and feasible. In addition, it can result in a better cosmetic effect of the incision than MTL-TEP inguinal hernia repair. SIL-TEP inguinal hernia repair should be considered for patients with stricter cosmetic requirements.Clinical trial registration: INPLASY2022110085.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the procedure of choice for the removal of gallbladder within the paediatric population. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature spanning the last 20 years to understand the indications for and safety of LCs in children.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the published English language literature from January 2000 to June 2020 was done on PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar.

RESULTS

In total, 76,524 LC cases were identified from 114 studies. 78.9% of the patients were female and average age was 12 years old. Associated haematological disorders were identified in 16% of cases. The commonest indication for LC was cholelithiasis (68.4% in 66 studies), followed by cholecystitis (59.2% in 53 studies). Median operating time was 77 min. Median hospital stay was 2 days. The overall postoperative complication rate was 3.4% Major complications included bile duct injury (0.4%) and intra- or post-operative bleeding (0.9%). The conversion rate to open procedure was 2%. When comparing post-operative outcomes between emergency and elective admissions, three papers lent themselves to meta-analysis demonstrating no significant difference (p = 0.42). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative complication rate between "hot" and "cold" laparoscopic cholecystectomies (p = 0.6).

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and meta-analysis is the largest collection of subjects on laparoscopic cholecystectomies in children. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe operation in children, with complication rates similar or comparable to the adult literature. Cholelithiasis, cholecystitis and biliary dyskinesia were the commonest indications for LC.

Optimal indication for single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy in benign gallbladder diseases

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become a basic procedure for cholecystectomy due to rapid recovery and cosmetic satisfaction after surgery, and it is currently the primary treatment for most benign gallbladder diseases. Thanks to advances in laparoscopic equipment and techniques, single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) was introduced. Initially, SILC was performed only on highly selected patients due to the high proficiency required and the potential collision of surgical instruments due to the narrow operating space. However, as surgeons gradually accumulated experience with it and various surgical equipment was introduced, the indications were gradually expanded. Nevertheless, clear indications for SILC have not yet been established. If continuous technological development and large-scale SILC clinical results are accumulated, the indications for SILC will be clearer and can be expanded in the future.

Optimal indication of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy using Konyang Standard Method in benign gallbladder diseases

Purpose

The optimal indications for single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) have not yet been established.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent SILC between April 2010 and June 2020. Difficult surgery (DS) (conversion to multiport or open cholecystectomy, adjacent organ injury, operation time of ≥90 minutes, or estimated blood loss of ≥100 mL) and poor postoperative outcome (PPO) (postoperative hospital stay ≥ 7 days or Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ II postoperative complications) were defined to comprehensively evaluate surgical difficulty and postoperative outcomes, respectively.

Results

Of 1,405 patients (mean age, 51.2 years; 802 female [57.1%]), 427 (grade I, n = 358; grade II/III, n = 69) underwent SILC for acute cholecystitis (AC), 34 (2.4%) needed conversion to multiport (n = 33) or open cholecystectomy (n = 1), 7 (0.5%) had adjacent organ injury during surgery, and 49 (3.5%) developed postoperative complications. Of the patients, 89 and 52 had DS and PPO, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, grade I AC, grade II/III AC, and body mass index of ≥30 kg/m² were significant predictors of DS. Age of ≥70 years and DS were significant predictors of PPO. In a subgroup analysis of patients with AC, DS (9.5% vs. 27.5%, p < 0.001) and PPO (5.0% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.001) were more frequent in patients with grade II/III AC than in those with grade I AC.

Conclusion

SILC is not recommended in patients with grade II/III AC and should be carefully performed by experienced and well-trained surgeons.

A retrospective cohort report of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies in Saudi Arabia: Postoperative outcomes and patient satisfaction

Introduction

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become more popular recently. Because it yields shorter hospitalization, less postoperative pain, and better cosmetic outcomes. As it minimizes the number of incisions, it causes less trauma to the anterior abdominal wall and this decreases the operative mortality and morbidity. In this study, our aim is to share our results from the procedure so that surgeons in the field may consider adopting this approach when performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 125 patients that underwent single-incision cholecystectomy. These patients underwent the procedure in a specialized center. We extracted data and surveyed patients who underwent the procedure between 2017 and 2019, and that were performed by the same consultant using the standard tools of laparoscopic surgery. All patients were followed for 12 months. The postoperative survey includes; the cosmetic appearance of the surgical site, pain management after the procedure, and patient satisfaction with this experience.

Results

Most of the patients were satisfied with postoperative pain management and their cosmetic appearance. Most of the patients were females diagnosed with cholelithiasis preoperatively. The mean age of the patients was 37.43 ± 10.72 years, the mean BMI of the participants was 29.68 ± 6.51 kg/m² and the mean operative time was 25.56 ± 10.42 min.

Conclusion

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy has the potential to become the procedure of choice for cholecystectomy.

•

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become more popular recently. Because it yields shorter hospitalization, less postoperative pain, and better cosmetic outcomes.

•

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy has shown exceptional post outcome patient satisfaction, and reduced operative time.

•

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy might soon become the procedure of choice for cholecystectomy. .

Single-incision laparoscopic enucleation for pancreatic insulinoma with preoperative nasopancreatic stent placement: A case report

Introduction and importance

Case presentation

Clinical discussion

Conclusion

•

Single-incision laparoscopic enucleation (SILE) is a challenging procedure.

•

SILE is minimally invasive and offers better cosmetic outcomes.

•

To avoid injury to the main pancreatic duct, a nasopancreatic stent (NPS) was placed.

•

SILE can be performed safely via preoperative NPS placement.

Going Hands-Free: MagnetoSuture™ for Untethered Guided Needle Penetration of Human Tissue Ex Vivo

The application of force in surgical settings is typically accomplished via physical tethers to the surgical tool. While physical tethers are common and critical, some internal surgical procedures may benefit from a tetherless operation of needles, possibly reducing the number of ports in the patient or the amount of tissue damage caused by tools used to manipulate needles. Magnetic field gradients can dynamically apply kinetic forces to magnetizable objects free of such tethers, possibly enabling ultra-minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures. We demonstrate the untethered manipulation of a suture needle in vitro, exemplified by steering through narrow holes, as well as needle penetration through excised rat and human tissues. We present proof of principle manipulations for the fully untethered control of a minimally modified, standard stainless steel surgical suture needle.

Preperitoneal insufflation pressure of the abdominal wall in a porcine model

BACKGROUND

Most complications and adverse events during laparoscopic surgery occur during initial entry into the peritoneal cavity. Among them, preperitoneal insufflation occurs when the insufflation needle is incorrectly placed, and the abdominal wall is insufflated. The objective of this study was to find a range for static pressure which is low enough to allow placement of a Veress needle into the peritoneal space without causing preperitoneal insufflation, yet high enough to separate abdominal viscera from the parietal peritoneum.

METHODS

A pressure test was performed on twelve fresh porcine carcasses to determine the minimum preperitoneal insufflation pressure and the minimum initial peritoneal cavity insufflation pressure. Each porcine model had five needle placement categories. One category tested the initial peritoneal cavity insufflation pressure beneath the umbilicus. The four remaining categories tested the preperitoneal insufflation pressure at four different anatomical locations on the abdomen that can be used for initial entry. The minimum initial insufflation pressures from each carcass were then compared to the preperitoneal insufflation pressures to obtain an optimal range for initial insufflation.

RESULTS

Increasing the insufflation pressure increased the probability of preperitoneal insufflation. Also, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the initial peritoneal cavity insufflation pressures (8.83 ± 4.19 mmHg) and the lowest preperitoneal pressures (32.54 ± 7.84 mmHg) (mean ± SD).

CONCLUSION

Pressures greater than 10 mmHg resulted in initial cavity insufflation and pressures greater than 20 mmHg resulted in preperitoneal insufflation in porcine models. By knowing the minimum pressure required to separate the layers of the abdominal wall, the risk of preperitoneal insufflation can be mitigated while obtaining safe and efficient entry into the peritoneal cavity. The findings in this research are not a guideline for trocar or Veress needle placement, but instead reveal preliminary data which may lead to more studies, technology, etc.

Two-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed via the “marionette” technique versus conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy in pediatrics

Background

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has considered the gold standard for the treatment of symptomatic gallstones. The “marionette” technique is a surgical technique for performing a safe, two-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy without the use of an additional port or any new access devices. This study aimed to compare between the cost and outcome of two incisions LC performed via the marionette technique and the standard LC in pediatrics.

Results

All 32 children with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis were discharged from the hospital in the first postoperative day with no statistically significant difference within days to return to normal work (p = 0.607). The operative time in the group (A) which included 16 children who underwent 2 incisions marionette style LC technique was non-significantly longer time (p = 0.184) than the group (B) which included 16 children who underwent conventional 4 incisions LC technique. Visual analog scores for pain showed a significant difference between both groups at 6 h and 12 h postoperative (p = 0.000 and 0.003, respectively). Overall patient in marionette group was very satisfied by fewer incision and better cosmesis.

Conclusion

Marionette technique performed by an experienced surgeon among pediatric shows a statistically significant cost benefit while maintaining good operative time, less postoperative pain, and more patient’s satisfaction and provides excellent aesthetic results.

Laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy: A three-port method

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic liver resection has become popular recent years. Laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy (LLS) is now a standard operation with sufficient safety and feasibility. To improve the benefits of minimally invasive surgery, we invented and have been performing a reduced port LLS procedure using 3 ports since 2009.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients who underwent LLS at Toranomon Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) were included, except for patients with a previous history of upper abdominal surgery or those who had undergone the simultaneous resection of another organ. An essential point of this procedure was the extracorporeal traction of the divided round ligament using a ligature. As a result, the operator was able to perform the parenchymal transection within a good operative field.

RESULTS

Twelve patients were enrolled in the study. All the patients had a Child-Pugh classification of Class A. The median indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min was 9.5%. Compared with previously reported results for conventional LLS, the median operation time (82.5 min), blood loss (0 mL) and rate of blood transfusion (0%) were lower for the 3-port LLS procedure. The rates of complications (9%) and a positive surgical margin (0%) were similar to those reported for the conventional approach.

CONCLUSION

Three-port LLS appears to be a safe and feasible procedure.

MagnetoSuture: Tetherless Manipulation of Suture Needles

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of ligation and tissue penetration for surgical suturing tasks using magnetically actuated suture needles. Manipulation of suture needles in minimally invasive surgery involves using articulated manual/robotic tools for needle steering and controlling needle-tissue or thread-tissue interactions. The large footprints of conventional articulated surgical tools significantly increase surgical invasiveness, potentially leading to longer recovery times, tissue damage, scarring, or associated infections. Aiming to address these issues, we investigate the feasibility of using magnetic fields to tetherlessly steer suture needles. The primary challenge of such a concept is to provide sufficient force for tissue penetration and ligation. In this work, we demonstrate proof-of-concept capabilities using the MagnetoSuture™ system, performing tissue penetration and ligation tasks using ex vivo tissues, customized NdFeB suture needles with attached threads, and remote-controlled magnetic fields. To evaluate the system performance, we conducted experiments demonstrating tetherless recreation of a purse string suture pattern, ligation of an excised segment of a rat intestine, and penetration of rat intestines.

Feasibility of Single-Port Cholecystectomy With Wound Retractor and a Glove in a Rural Hospital in Mexico

Laparoscopic surgery has been established as the standard therapy for symptomatic cholecystolithiasis. Now, single-port cholecystectomy is a surgical option. Due to the need of special laparoscopic instruments and devices, the cost of the surgery is significantly increased, limiting its popularity in most medical centers in developing countries, especially in rural areas. This paper's objective was to show the safety, reproducibility, and feasibility of single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy using conventional laparoscopic equipment, a wound retractor, and a sterile glove in a rural hospital in Mexico. A prospective study was carried out from July to October 2014. Patients diagnosed with uncomplicated cholecystolithiasis who agreed to participate were operated with this technique. Complications, operative time, bleeding, evolution, and length of hospital stay were recorded. A total of 24 women went onto surgery under this approach. A mean follow-up of 71 days was completed. No incisional hernias, bile duct injuries, wound infection, nor death was presented. Surgical time and cost were not significantly increased compared to conventional laparoscopic approach. Most patient discharge was done the same day of the surgery. Single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a cost-effective procedure, which can be performed in all hospitals where an Alexis retractor and conventional laparoscopic equipment is available. There was no increase of surgical morbidity. The single-port cholecystectomy is a technically feasible and safe surgical option in selected patients and can be easily performed in rural hospitals at a low cost, providing the benefits of the single incision.

SINGLE PORT LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY: TECHNICAL ASPECTS AND RESULTS

Background:

The search for less traumatic surgical procedures without compromising efficacy and safety, together with the technological advances and greater experience of the teams, led to the development of operative techniques with increasingly smaller incisions, the so-called “minimally invasive surgeries”.

Aim:

To evaluate the technical aspects and results of single port cholecystectomy.

Method:

Were analyzed 170 patients between 18-74 years submitted to videolaparoscopic cholecystectomies by single port, regardless of elective or urgent indication, without restriction of patient selection.

Results:

Among the 170 operations, 158 were exclusively performed by single port, and the conversion rate was 7% (inclusion of other accessory trocars or conversion to multiportal). Conversion to open surgery occurred in three cases (1.76%). The mean surgical time was 67.97 min, showing a marked decrease when was reached close to 50 cases and a stabilization after 100 surgeries. The overall complication rate was 10%, with minor complications such as: incisional pain, hematomas, granulomas, port access hernias (9.41%).

Conclusion:

Single port cholecystectomy can, after standardization and surgical team training, be a safe surgical procedure associated with a recognized aesthetic advantage.

Evolution of the Konyang Standard Method for single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: the result from a thousand case of a single center experience

Purpose

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is increasingly performed worldwide. Accordingly, the Konyang Standard Method (KSM) for SILC has been developed over the past 6 years. We report the outcomes of our procedures.

Methods

Between April 2010 and December 2016, 1,005 patients underwent SILC at Konyang University Hospital. Initially 3-channel SILC with KSM was changed to 4-channel SILC using a modified technique with a snake retractor for exposure of Calot triangle; we called this a modified KSM (mKSM). Recently, we have used a commercial 4-channel (Glove) port for simplicity.

Results

SILC was performed in 323 patients with the KSM, in 645 with the mKSM, and in 37 with the commercial 4-channel port. Age was not significantly different between the 3 groups (P = 0.942). The postoperative hospital days (P = 0.051), operative time (P < 0.001) and intraoperative bleeding volume (P < 0.001) were significantly improved in the 3 groups. Drain insertion (P = 0.214), additional port insertion (P = 0.639), and postoperative complications (P = 0.608) were not significantly different in all groups. Postoperative complications were evaluated with the Clavien-Dindo classification. There were 3 cases (0.9%) over grade IIIb (bile duct injury, incisional hernia, duodenal perforation, or small bowel injury) with KSM and 3 (0.5%) with mKSM.

Conclusion

We evaluated the evolution of the KSM for SILC. The use of the mKSM with a commercial 4-channel port may be the safest and most effective method for SILC.

COMPARISON BETWEEN INCIDENCE OF INCISIONAL HERNIA IN LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY AND BY SINGLE PORT

Background:

Surgeries with single port access have been gaining ground among surgeons who seek minimally invasive procedures. Although this technique uses only one access, the incision is larger when compared to laparoscopic cholecystectomy and this fact can lead to a higher incidence of incisional hernias.

Aim:

To compare the incidence of incisional hernia after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and by single port.

Methods:

A total of 57 patients were randomly divided into two groups and submitted to conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (n=29) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy by single access (n=28). The patients were followed up and reviewed in a 40.4 month follow-up for identification of incisional hernias.

Results:

Follow-up showed 21,4% of incisional hernia in single port group and 3.57% in conventional technique.

Conclusions:

There was a higher incidence of late incisional hernia in patients submitted to single port access cholecystectomy compared to conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Early results of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison with the conventional: Does it have any impact on quality of life?

Background

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard treatment for gallbladder diseases. In recent times, single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy(SILC) has developed as a less invasive alternative technique to conventional laparoscopy. In the literature, many studies have compared SILC and conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) procedures but a limited number of studies have compared the two techniques with regard to quality of life (QOL). The choice of surgical procedure was effected by QOL of the patients. The effects of SILC on QOL remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) and single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) procedures on the clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients by short-term follow-up evaluation.

Material and methods

In this study, 142 patients who underwent cholecystectomy operations with either technique underwent SILC and CLC were evaluated. The quality of life index in the patients was measured with short form 36 (SF 36) test.

Results

The results of mean operative time, length of stay and complication rate for SILC and CLC were similar. The postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores were not significantly different between the SILC and CLC patients but only physical functioning score were higher in SILC patients.

Conclusions

SILC is a safe and effective alternative to CLC. To detect the effects of SILC on HRQOL, we need long-term prospective comparative studies.

Application of a commercial single-port device for robotic single-incision distal pancreatectomy: initial experience

PURPOSE

Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy has proven to be feasible and safe. Moreover, robotic surgery provides unique advantages for pancreatic procedures, although single-incision robotic pancreatic surgery is rarely discussed. We applied the single-port modified platform to accomplish robotic distal pancreatectomy in a series of patients.

METHODS

The subjects of this study were ten patients who underwent robotic distal pancreatectomy in our hospital between July 1, 2015 and Dec 31, 2016. All patients were placed supine in the reverse Trendelenburg position with the legs abducted. Surgery was performed via a trans-umbilical 5.0-cm incision, using a modified single-port platform (LAGIPORT^®) combined with the da Vinci Si Surgical System. The three arms and scope (30-degree up) were inserted through the LAGIPORT^® and positioned in a triangle. Endoscopic ultrasound was used to localize the tumor and plan the resection margin. We recorded the surgical time, operation time, blood loss, postoperative pain score, hospital stay, and complications.

RESULTS

The surgical time was 236 ± 32 min, the operation time was 172 ± 30 min, and the blood loss was 149 ± 65 ml. All patients underwent robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy without conversion. The average pain score on postoperative day (POD) 3 was 4.5 ± 1. Complications included subsplenic hematoma (n = 1) and minor pancreatic leakage (n = 2). There was no surgical mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate the safety and efficiency of robotic single-incision distal pancreatectomy via the modified platform (LAGIPORT^®).

[Robotic approach to hepatobiliary surgery. German version]

Robot-assisted hepatobiliary surgery has been steadily growing in recent years. It represents an alternative to the open and laparoscopic approaches in selected patients. Endowristed instruments and enhanced visualization provide important advantages in terms of selective bleeding control, microsuturing, and dissection. Cholecystectomies and minor hepatectomies are being performed with comparable results to open and laparoscopic surgery. Even complex procedures, such as major and extended hepatectomies, can have excellent outcomes, in expert hands. The addition of indocyanine green fluorescence provides an additional advantage for recognition of the vascular and biliary anatomy. Future innovations will allow for expanding its use and indications. Robotic surgery has become a very important component of modern minimally invasive surgery and the development of new robotic technology will facilitate a broader adoption of this technique.

Clinical advantages of single port laparoscopic hepatectomy

AIM

To evaluate the clinical advantages of single-port laparoscopic hepatectomy (SPLH) compare to multi-port laparoscopic hepatectomy (MPLH).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 246 patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection between January 2008 and December 2015 at our hospital. We divided the surgical technique into two groups; SPLH and MPLH. We performed laparoscopic liver resection for both benign and malignant disease. Major hepatectomy such as right and left hepatectomy was also done with sufficient disease-free margin. The operative time, the volume of blood loss, transfusion rate, and the conversion rate to MPLH or open surgery was evaluated. The post-operative parameters included the meal start date after operation, the number of postoperative days spent in the hospital, and surgical complications was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 246 patients, 155 patients underwent SPLH and 91 patients underwent MPLH. Conversion rate was 22.6% in SPLH and 19.8% in MPLH (P = 0.358). We performed major hepatectomy, which was defined as resection of more than 2 sections, in 13.5% of patients in the SPLH group and in 13.3% of patients in the MPLH group (P = 0.962). Mean operative time was 136.9 ± 89.2 min in the SPLH group and 231.2 ± 149.7 min in the MPLH group (P < 0.001). The amount of blood loss was 385.1 ± 409.3 mL in the SPLH group and 559.9 ± 624.9 mL in the MPLH group (P = 0.016). The safety resection margin did not show a significant difference (0.84 ± 0.84 cm in SPLH vs 1.04 ± 1.22 cm in MPLH, P = 0.704). Enteral feeding was started earlier in the SPLH group (1.06 ± 0.27 d after operation) than in the MPLH group (1.63 ± 1.27 d) (P < 0.001). The mean hospital stay after operation was non-significantly shorter in the SPLH group than in the MPLH group (7.82 ± 2.79 d vs 7.97 ± 3.69 d, P = 0.744). The complication rate was not significantly different (P = 0.397) and there was no major perioperative complication or mortality case in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Single-port laparoscopic liver surgery seems to be a feasible approach for various kinds of liver diseases.

Two-Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Reducing Scars in a Simple Way

BACKGROUND

About 20% of the population has cholelithiasis and this is the main abdominal cause of hospitalization in developed countries. Considering that only in the United States about 700,000 cholecystectomies are done each year, it is possible to estimate the importance of the problem for public health.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a two-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (TILC) technique using only conventional material, without increasing complications or operative time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A consecutive and prospective case series compared to another historical operated by conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). The TILC was performed with three trocars in two incisions, two trocars in umbilical incision, and one in epigastrium.

RESULTS

A total of 72 patients were operated on by the same surgeon (36 in each group). There were no significant differences between groups for gender, mean age, body mass index, or length of hospital stay. The procedures were classified by the surgeon according to surgical difficulty and 58.3% (n = 42) were considered low grade, 9.7% (n = 7) difficult, and the other were intermediaries, with no difference between the series (P < .05). There were minor complications in 6.94% (n = 5) procedures. There were no differences between mean operative time (P = .989), which was 49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 42-56) minutes in LC and 40 (95% CI 35-44) min in TILC. There was no need for additional trocars in any case or for conversion to open surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

TILC is feasible, safe, and with good aesthetic result, using the same instruments of LC, without increasing operative time.

Impact of obesity on surgical outcome after single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Introduction:

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is widely used as a treatment option for gallbladder disease. However, obesity has been considered a relative contraindication to this approach due to more advanced technical difficulties. The aim of this report was to review our experience with SILC to evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on the surgical outcome.

Patients and Methods:

Between May 2009 and February 2013, 237 patients underwent SILC at our institute. Pre- and post-operative data of the 17 obese patients (O-group) (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) and 220 non-obese patients (NO-group) (BMI <29.9 kg/m²) were compared retrospectively. SILC was performed under general anaesthesia, using glove technique. Indications for surgery included benign gallbladder disease, except for emergent surgeries.

Results:

Mean age of patients was significantly higher in the NO-group than O-group (58.9 ± 13.5 years vs. 50.8 ± 14.0 years, P = 0.025). SILC was successfully completed in 233 patients (98.3%). Four patients (1.7%) in the NO-group required an additional port, and one patient was converted to an open procedure. The median operative time was 70 ± 25 min in the NO-group and 75.2 ± 18.3 min in the O-group. All complications were minor, except for one case in the NO-group that suffered with leakage of the cystic duct stump, for which endoscopic nasobiliary drainage was need.

Conclusion:

Our findings show that obesity, intended as a BMI ≥30 kg/m², does not have an adverse impact on the technical difficulty and post-operative outcomes of SILC. Obesity-related comorbidities did not increase the risks for SILC.

Higher cost of single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to longer operating time. A study of opportunity cost based on meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

We aimed to calculate the opportunity cost of the operating time to demonstrate that single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is more expensive than classic laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC).

METHODS

We identified studies comparing use of both techniques during the period 2008-2016, and to calculate the opportunity cost, we performed another search in the same period of time with an economic evaluation of classic laparoscopy. We performed a meta-analysis of the items selected in the first review considering the cost of surgery and surgical time, and we analyzed their differences. We subsequently calculated the opportunity cost of these time differences based on the design of a cost/time variable using the data from the second literature review.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven articles were selected from the first review: 26 for operating time (3.138 patients) and 3 for the cost of surgery (831 patients), and 3 articles from the second review. Both echniques have similar operating costs. Single incision laparoscopy surgery takes longer (16.90min) to perform (p <0.00001) and this difference represents an opportunity cost of 755.97 € (cost/time unit factor of 44.73 €/min).

CONCLUSIONS

SILC costs the same as CLC, but the surgery takes longer to perform, and this difference involves an opportunity cost that increases the total cost of SILC. The value of the opportunity cost of the operating time can vary the total cost of a surgical technique and it should be included in the economic evaluation to support the decision to adopt a new surgical technique.

Robotic single-site versus multiport laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a case-matched analysis of short- and long-term costs

BACKGROUND

Multiport laparoscopy is the gold-standard approach for cholecystectomy, and single-port laparoscopy has been developed to further reduce its invasiveness. A specific robotic single-port platform (da Vinci single-site, Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) has been released in 2011, which could technically facilitate single-site cholecystectomy. Current data show its feasibility; however, detailed short- and long-term analyses of costs and comparisons relative to multiport laparoscopy are not available to date.

METHODS

Patients who underwent robotic single-site cholecystectomy for benign, clinically noninflammatory disease between 2011 and 2015 were matched for disease, age, gender, BMI, ASA classification, diagnosis, and elapsed year of surgery to a cohort of multiport cholecystectomies. Demographic, perioperative, and long-term data were collected retrospectively and analyzed. Perioperative and long-term costs including re-operations due to the primary procedure until February 2017 were compared across both cohorts.

RESULTS

99 patients who underwent robotic single-site cholecystectomy were matched to 99 patients with multiport cholecystectomy. A higher rate of outpatient procedures in the robotic cohort (31.3 vs. 17.2%, p = 0.0305) was found, and demographic parameters and perioperative clinical outcomes were similar. Perioperative costs were significantly higher for the robotic single-site patients (6158.0 vs. 4288.0 USD, p < 0.0001). With similar follow-up times of 59.0 and 58.9 months, respectively (p = 0.9552), significantly more patients of the robotic Single-Site cohort underwent follow-up surgery (7.1 vs. 0.0%, p = 0.0140), and follow-up costs were significantly higher for the robotic cohort (694.7 vs. 0.0 USD, p = 0.0145).

CONCLUSION

With similar early postoperative clinical results and a higher rate of re-operations, perioperative and long-term costs are significantly higher with robotic Single-Site cholecystectomy compared with multiport cholecystectomy. Considering the unclear clinical value of robotic single-site cholecystectomy and the significant short- and long-term costs, a call for further research and a debate as to who should bear the costs beyond the ones of the gold-standard treatment appear reasonable.

Kinematic and ergonomic assessment of laparoendoscopic single-site surgical instruments during simulator training tasks

While laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) appears to be feasible and safe, instrument triangulation, tissue handling, and other bimanual tasks are difficult even for experienced surgeons. Novel technologies emerged to overcome LESS' procedural and ergonomic difficulties of "tunnel vision" and "instrument clashing." Surgeon kinematics, self-reported workload and upper body discomfort were used to compare straight, bent and two articulating instruments while performing two basic surgical tasks in a LESS simulator. All instruments resulted in bilateral elevation and rotation of the shoulders, excessive forearm motion and flexion and ulnar deviation of wrists. Surgeons' adopted non-neutral upper extremity postures and performed excessive joint excursions to compensate for reduced freedom of movement at the single insertion site and to operate the instrument mechanisms. LESS' cosmetic benefits continue to impact laparoscopic surgery and by enabling performance through improved instruments, ergonomic improvement for LESS can reduce negative impact on surgeon well-being and patient safety.

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy with conventional instruments and ports: Initial experience at tertiary care public sector Hospital

OBJECTIVE

To find out safety and feasibility of single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SLIC) using conventional instruments.

METHODS

This study was conducted at surgical department of LUMHS Jamshoro Pakistan from Jan: 2014 to Dec: 2015. All cases of symptomatic cholelithiasis that consented for laparoscopic surgery were included. The exclusion criteria were acute cholecystitis, acute gall stone pancreatitis, common bile duct stones and patients with co-morbid. A midline 3cm incision made supraumbilically and 10mm port placed. Two 5mm ports placed on either side of umbilicus slightly superior and laterally in or-der to triangulate. A 2/0 prolene suture placed through the infundibulum of the gall bladder to achieve retraction. The rest of the procedure is like standard 4 ports laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

RESULTS

Total no of cases were 50. The age ranged from 30-59 years (mean 35.20 years ±4.886.) There were 43(86%) females and 07(14%) males. The mean operating time was 80 minutes (range 50-120 ±16.020). Four (8%) cases were converted to standard four ports laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to bleeding and difficult dissection in Calot's triangle. Minimal blood loss was observed during the procedure with no postoperative complications. The range of hospital stay was 1-2 days (mean 1.08 ±0.274).

CONCLUSION

SILC is a safe and feasible procedure with conventional laparoscopic instruments without additional cost of single port and articulated instruments. The cosmetic results are excellent with minimal increase in the operating time.

The Role of the Single Incision Laparoscopic Approach in Liver and Pancreatic Resectional Surgery

Introduction. Single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has gained increasing support over the last few years. The aim of this narrative review is to analyse the published evidence on the use and potential benefits of SILS in hepatic and pancreatic resectional surgery for benign and malignant pathology. Methods. Pubmed and Embase databases were searched using the search terms "single incision laparoscopic", "single port laparoscopic", "liver surgery", and "pancreas surgery". Results. Twenty relevant manuscripts for liver and 9 for pancreatic SILS resections were identified. With regard to liver surgery, despite the lack of comparative studies with other minimal invasive techniques, outcomes have been acceptable when certain limitations are taken into account. For pancreatic resections, when compared to the conventional laparoscopic approach, SILS produced comparable results with regard to intra- and postoperative parameters, including length of hospitalisation and complications. Similarly, the results were comparable to robotic pancreatectomies, with the exception of the longer operative time reported with the robotic approach. Discussion. Despite the limitations, the published evidence supports that SILS is safe and feasible for liver and pancreatic resections when performed by experienced teams in the tertiary setting. However, no substantial benefit has been identified yet, especially compared to other minimal invasive techniques.

Preoperative factors predicting the need for additional ports during single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy

INTRODUCTION

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is gaining popularity as a minimally invasive technique that provides some benefits in terms of improved cosmesis. However, the insertion of an additional port is required in a subset of cases.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 308 SILC procedures in patients with benign gallbladder diseases, except acute cholecystitis, to identify preoperative factors predicting the need for an additional port.

RESULTS

SILC was completed with a single incision in 272 patients (88%); the insertion of at least one additional port was required in 36 patients (12%). The additional port requirement was associated with a longer operative time (P < 0.0001), greater intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.0001), and longer postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.0002). Multivariate analysis revealed male gender (odds ratio: 2.57, P = 0.0170), prior history of upper abdominal surgery (odds ratio: 5.53, P = 0.0132), and a higher preoperative white blood cell count (odds ratio: 3.62, P = 0.0244) to be independent factors associated with the requirement for an additional port.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that gender, prior history of upper abdominal surgery, and white blood cell count can predict the likelihood of requiring an additional port in SILC.

Advantages and Disadvantages of 1-Incision, 2-Incision, 3-Incision, and 4-Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Workflow Comparison Study

A comparison of 1-port, 2-port, 3-port, and 4-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy techniques from the point of view of workflow criteria was made to both identify specific workflow components that can cause surgical disturbances and indicate good and bad practices. As a case study, laparoscopic cholecystectomies, including manual tasks and interactions within teamwork members, were video-recorded and analyzed on the basis of specially encoded workflow information. The parameters for comparison were defined as follows: surgery time, tool and hand activeness, operator's passive work, collisions, and operator interventions. It was found that 1-port cholecystectomy is the worst technique because of nonergonomic body position, technical complexity, organizational anomalies, and operational dynamism. The differences between laparoscopic techniques are closely linked to the costs of the medical procedures. Hence, knowledge about the surgical workflow can be used for both planning surgical procedures and balancing the expenses associated with surgery.

A Novel Procedure for Single-Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy-The Teres Hanging Technique Combined with Fundus-First, Dome-Down Separation

BACKGROUND

Generally, single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) requires the use of articulating devices or additional trocars because of the technical difficulties caused by the lack of ergonomics. We developed a novel procedure comprising mainly two simple ideas, "the teres hanging technique combined with fundus-first, dome-down separation," which mainly uses conventional rigid laparoscopic instruments. In this study, we demonstrated our technique and retrospectively evaluated the clinical outcomes.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Three trocars were set through a 2.0-cm transumbilical minilaparotomy that was covered with an EZ Access™ combined with a lap protector. To create an adequate surgical field, the teres ligament was laparoscopically hung up with a suture on a straight needle. The gall bladder was then dissected through the fundus to the neck using rigid laparoscopic instruments without any additional trocars. At our institution, 18 consecutive patients underwent SILC using our technique from January 2014 to August 2015. Each patient had a symptomatic gallbladder (GB) stone or polyp. All operations were performed by surgeons who had never performed SILC until this study.

RESULTS

In all operations, our technique was successfully completed without GB perforation or other intraoperative complications. Additional trocars or open laparotomy were not required. The median operation time was 79 minutes, and blood loss was negligible. No postoperative complications were encountered.

CONCLUSIONS

Our novel procedure is safe and feasible. Even for surgeons who have never performed SILC before, our technique may become a standard for benign GB disease without requiring the use of articulating devices or additional trocars.

Robotic Single-Port Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Is Safe but Faces Technical Challenges

BACKGROUND

For cholecystectomy, multiport laparoscopy is the recommended surgical approach. Single-port laparoscopy (SPL) was introduced to reduce postoperative pain and provide better cosmetic results, but has technical disadvantages. Robotic SPL (RSPL) was developed to overcome these disadvantages. In this prospective study, we aim to describe intraoperative results and postoperative outcomes of RSPL cholecystectomies and evaluate technical aspects of the technique.

METHODS

A prospective database of all patients who underwent a RSPL cholecystectomy between January 2012 and December 2014 was analyzed. Intraoperative results and postoperative complications were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 27 patients underwent RSPL cholecystectomy. Median age was 59 (20-78) years and median body mass index was 25 (19-35) kg/m². The majority of patients had American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) II classification (67%) and 89% underwent surgery for cholecystolithiasis or cholecystitis. The median operating time was 81 (41-115) minutes. Conversion to a multiport procedure occurred in 2; one due to insufficient length of the robotic instruments. In the second and third patients, conversion to an open procedure was necessary due to inadequate exposure caused by liver cirrhosis and purulent ascites, respectively. In seven procedures, spill occurred due to rupture of the gallbladder. Postoperative complications occurred in 4 patients, including 1 bleeding (no reintervention), 1 peritonitis, and 2 wound infections. After a median follow-up of 33 (10-44) months, 5 (19%) trocar-site hernias were seen.

CONCLUSION

RSPL cholecystectomy is feasible, however, encountered by technical challenges due to inadequate length of the nonwristed robotic instruments. A high incidence of gallbladder rupture and trocar-site hernias may limit its application.

Comparison study of clinical outcomes between single-site robotic cholecystectomy and single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

Multiport laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard surgical procedure for symptomatic gallbladder diseases. The latest evolution is single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC). Single-site robotic cholecystectomy (SSRC) overcomes several limitations of manual SILC. The aim of this study is to present our initial experiences in SSRC and to compare its clinical outcomes with those of SILC.

METHODS

This study retrospectively reviewed data for patients who received SSRC or SILC from February 2014 to September 2015. The following variables were analyzed: age, sex, body mass index, indications, pain scale, length of stay, and complications. The data were analyzed with Student t test or by Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

The analysis included 51 SSRC (33 women, 18 men) and 63 SILC patients (40 women, 23 men). Patients in both groups had similar demographic features and indications for surgery. The SSRC group required no conversions to conventional laparoscopy and no additional trocars, whereas the SILC group had two (3.17%) cases. Length of stay did not significantly differ between the SSRC and SILC groups (4.29 ± 0.72 vs. 4.13 ± 0.93 days, respectively; p = 0.823). However, the SSRC group had shorter operative time (71.30 ± 48.88 vs. 74.70 ± 30.16 minutes; p = 0.772), less perioperative bile spillage (9.81% vs. 19.05%; p = 0.189), and less postoperative bile leakage (0% vs. 3.17%; p = 0.501). However, the parameters mentioned above were not statistically significant, whereas pain scale scores were significantly lower in the SSRC group (2.11 ± 0.76 vs. 3.98 ± 0.84; p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Both SSRC and SILC are safe and feasible procedures for performing single incision cholecystectomy. SSRC, however, has the advantage of significantly decreased postoperative pain.

New advantageous tool in single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: the needle grasper

INTRODUCTION

During single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC), the gallbladder is suspended with stitches, resulting in perforation risk and difficulty in exploration.

AIM

We used the needle grasper in SILC to hang and manipulate the gallbladder.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Sixty-five patients (43 female, 22 male) who underwent SILC between December 2013 and December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively for patient demographics, duration of operation, laparotomy or conventional laparoscopy necessity, drain use, complications, and hospital stay periods. To place the SILC port (Covidien, Inc.), the needle grasper was inserted at the right upper abdominal quadrant without an incision to hang and manipulate the gall-bladder.

RESULTS

The mean age was 47.9 ±13.068 years; the mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.94 ±3.913 kg/m². ASA scores were 1, 2, and 3. Two patients with high BMI with additional trocar use were excluded. The operations were completed without any additional trocar in 59 patients. The mean operation time was 89 ±22.41 min. Eighteen patients required a drain; all were discharged after drain removal. One patient needed re-hospitalization and percutaneous drainage and was discharged on the 9^th day. Fifty-three patients were discharged on the 1^st post-operative day. Eleven patients with drains were discharged on the 2^nd day, and 1 was discharged on the 7^th day. The mean hospital stay period was 1.26 ±0.815 days.

CONCLUSIONS

The main difficulty of SILC is to manipulate hand tools because the triangulation principle of laparoscopy use is not possible in SILC. Inserting a needle grasper into the abdominal cavity at the right subcostal area to manipulate the gallbladder helps and does not leave a visible scar.

Competence acquisition for single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background and Objectives:

Within the past few years, there has been a push for an even more minimally invasive approach to biliary disease with the adoption of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We sought to compare 4 individual surgeon experiences to define whether there exists a learning curve for performing single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective review 290 single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed by a group of general surgeons, with varying levels of experience and training, at 3 institutions between May 2008 and September 2010. The procedure times were recorded for each single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy, ordered chronologically for each surgeon, and subsequently plotted on a graph. The patients were also combined into cohorts of 5 and 10 cases to further evaluate for signs of improvement in operative efficiency.

Results:

Of the 4 surgeons involved in the study, only 1 (surgeon 4, laparoscopic fellowship trained with <5 years' experience) confirmed the presence of a learning curve, reaching proficiency within the first 15 cases performed. The other surgeons had more variable procedure times, which did not show a distinct trend. When we evaluated the cases by cohorts of 5 cases, surgeon 4 had a significant difference between the first and last cohort. Increased body mass index resulted in a slightly longer operative time (P < .0063). The conversion rate to multiport laparoscopic surgery was 3.1%.

Conclusions:

Our results indicate that among experienced general surgeons, there does not seem to be a significant learning curve when transitioning from conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy to single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The least experienced surgeon in the group, surgeon 4, appeared to reach proficiency after 15 cases. Greater than 5 years of experience in laparoscopic surgery appears to provide surgeons with a sufficient skill set to obviate the need for a single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy learning curve.

Incidence of port-site incisional hernia after single-incision laparoscopic surgery

Background and Objectives:

Single-incision laparoscopic surgery is gaining popularity among minimally invasive surgeons and is now being applied to a broad number of surgical procedures. Although this technique uses only 1 port, the diameter of the incision is larger than in standard laparoscopic surgery. The long-term incidence of port-site hernias after single-incision laparoscopic surgery has yet to be determined.

Methods:

All patients who underwent a single-incision laparoscopic surgical procedure from May 2008 through May 2009 were included in the study. Single-incision laparoscopic surgical operations were performed either by a multiport technique or with a 3-trocar single-incision laparoscopic surgery port. The patients were seen at 30 to 36 months' follow-up, at which time they were examined for any evidence of port-site incisional hernia. Patients found to have hernias on clinical examination underwent repairs with mesh.

Results:

A total of 211 patients met the criteria for inclusion in the study. The types of operations included were cholecystectomy, appendectomy, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding, Nissen fundoplication, colectomy, and gastrojejunostomy. We found a port-site hernia rate of 2.9% at 30 to 36 months' follow-up.

Conclusion:

Port-site incisional hernia after single-incision laparoscopic surgical procedures remains a major setback for patients. The true incidence remains largely unknown because most patients are asymptomatic and therefore do not seek surgical aid.

Single-site robotic cholecystectomy

Background:

Laparoscopic single-incision surgery is fraught with significant technical drawbacks but has witnessed increased growth mainly for its presumed aesthetic advantages. Recently, a single-site robotic platform has been introduced to alleviate some of the technical challenges with laparoscopic single-site surgery, although literature on this topic is scant. The aim of this study is to analyze the experience of a single surgeon with single-site robotic cholecystectomies since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its approval in December 2011, and to evaluate the robotic platform's safety and short-term surgical outcomes.

Methods:

From February 1st 2012 to February 28th 2013, patients who underwent single-site cholecystectomy at an academic institution in the United States were retrospectively reviewed from a prospectively maintained database. The following variables were analyzed: age, sex, body mass index, previous surgeries, total operative time, port insertion time, docking time, console time, estimated blood loss, closure time, conversion to open or multiport approach, postoperative outcomes for wound infection, bile leak, biliary ductal injury, right hepatic artery injury, reoperations, readmission, and mortality. Indication for cholecystectomy was symptomatic gallbladder disease. No exclusion criteria were used and no cost analysis was performed.

Results:

During the study period, 31 patients were enrolled. The mean patient age, body mass index, weight, and operative time was 33.6 years, 32.2 kg/m², 86.3 kg, and 81.4 minutes, respectively. There were no conversions to the open or traditional multiport approach, and no major complications of biliary ductal or hepatic artery injury, bile leak, reoperations, or mortality occurred. There was 1 case of superficial wound infection.

Conclusions:

Single-site robotic cholecystectomy is feasible and safe and requires a minimal learning curve to transition from traditional multiport to single-port robotic cholecystectomy.

Outcomes in laparoscopic cholecystectomy by single incision with SPIDER surgical system are comparable to conventional multiport technique: one surgeon's experience

BACKGROUND

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy has emerged as an alternative to conventional multiport laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Technical difficulty, prolonged surgical times and increased complication rates have been reported in single-incision laparoscopic surgery. One of the concerns is lack of triangulation of instruments. The SPIDER^® surgical system is a single-incision laparoscopic device that utilizes flexible instruments with the purpose of achieving adequate triangulation. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcomes of SPIDER versus LC.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent LC and SPIDER cholecystectomy by a single surgeon during a concurrent 44-month period at Baptist Health South Florida hospitals was performed focusing on demographics, indication for surgery, complications and incisional hernia rates. Exclusion criteria were concomitant surgery and hernia repair at the time of surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 612 patients underwent minimally invasive cholecystectomy: 279 cases for SPIDER cholecystectomy and 333 for multiport LC. Baseline differences in patient characteristics between the SPIDER and LC groups were statistically significant. The SPIDER group had younger and healthier patients (lower ASA classification scores) with predominant diagnosis of cholelithiasis (69 %) compared to the LC group which had more complex cases. Total complications rate for both SPIDER and LC were 0.4 % (n = 1) and 3 % (n = 10), respectively. Conversion to open cholecystectomy occurred in one patient from the LC group (0.3 %). Conversion rate from SPIDER to additional ports or LC was performed in 5 cases (1.8 %) with no conversions to open surgery. Hemoperitoneum was reported in 2 cases, one for each approach, requiring reoperation.

CONCLUSION

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy with SPIDER is a safe and feasible technique with similar outcomes to multiport LC. However, statistical significant difference was reported in baseline characteristics of both groups. No incisional hernias were reported in this case series for either technique.

Tips and tricks to avoid bile duct injury in SILC: an experience of 500 cases

INTRODUCTION

Conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard surgical treatment for symptomatic gallstones. Surgeons have attempted to minimize the number of incisions via single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC), which offers benefits including improved cosmesis, possibly less postoperative pain, and improved patient satisfaction. However, studies show that there is an increased risk of operative complications-in particular bile duct injuries. We report 500 consecutive cases of SILC performed without bile duct injury.

METHODS

A retrospective study of 500 continuous cases of SILC performed by the same surgeon at a single institution was conducted. Data on patient demographics, operative details, and postoperative outcomes were collected and evaluated. Detailed analysis of surgical techniques specifically to reduce bile duct injury was performed and described in this study.

RESULTS

In total, 500 patients underwent SILC during the study period. Eight patients needed additional ports to complete the surgery, while one was converted to an open surgery. No serious intraoperative complications, such as bile duct injury, were encountered.

CONCLUSION

Our experience shows that with due care and caution during SILC, with particular attention towards achieving the critical view of safety and a standardized technique, bile duct injury in SILC can be avoided.

One-year experience with single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a single center: without the use of inverse triangulation

PURPOSE

Single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is generally performed with the use of inverse triangulation. In this study, we performed 3-channel or 4-channel SILC without the use of inverse triangulation. We evaluated the adequacy and feasibility of SILC using our surgical method.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed our series of 309 SILCs performed between March 2014 and February 2015.

RESULTS

Among 309 SILCs, male were 148 and female were 161 patients, mean age was 48.7 ± 15.3 years old and mean body mass index was 24.8 ± 3.8 kg/m(2). Forty patients had previously undergone abdominal surgery including 6 cases of upper abdominal surgery. SILC after percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder (GB) drainage was completed in 8.7% of cases. There were 10 cases of emergency SILC. SILC was performed for noncomplicated GB including symptomatic GB stone and polyp in 66.7% of cases, acute cholecystitis in 33.3%. Overall, 96.8% of procedures were successfully completed without additional port. The reason for addition of an extra port or open conversion included technical difficulties due to severe adhesion and bleeding. The mean operating time was 60.7 ± 22.3 minutes. The overall complication rate was 4.8%: 9 patients of wound seroma, 1 case of bile leakage from GB bed, 4 cases of intra-abdominal abscess or fluid collection, and 1 case of incisional hernia were developed. There was no case of common bile duct injury.

CONCLUSION

Our surgical method of SILC without the use of inverse triangulation is safe, feasible and effective technique.

Transumbilical SILC Using Conventional Laparoscopic Instruments-Initial Experience in a Resource-Limited Setting

In the era of minimal access, single-incision laparoscopic surgery is gaining popularity. Expensive ports, disposable hand instruments and flexible endoscopes have been utilised, but they increase the cost of operation. We report our initial experience of two-trocar single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) in 70 patients using conventional instruments that can be adapted as a novel technique in achieving minimal trauma and aesthetic results in resource-limited hospitals. Between September 2011 and September 2012, 70 consecutive patients underwent an attempted SILC in a single centre. The mean age of the patients was 42 years (range 18-65 years). There were 12 males and 58 females with a male-to-female ratio of 1:4.8. Transumbilical incision was used to access the abdomen, and two 10-mm ports/trocars were placed through the single incision side by side, maintaining a facial bridge of 5-8 mm in between. Gall bladder was manipulated through two strategically placed traction sutures to expose the Callot's triangle. Mean operation time in our series was 42.12 min (range 22-90 min). There was no need of additional sutures. Bleeding was minimal in nearly all cases. The mean hospital stay was 1.06 days (range 1-4 days). The post-operative analgesic requirement was one dose in 60.4 % patients. Additional port was required in two of our patients. Two patients needed conversion to open surgery. There was no major complication or mortality in our series. This technique of two-trocar SILC using conventional instruments can be adapted as a less invasive surgical procedure in resource-limited hospitals in selected group of patients. Cosmetic result, reduced pain, short hospital stay and the degree of satisfaction appear to be significant with this technique.

Do height and weight affect the feasibility of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard for gallbladder removal and the most common laparoscopic procedure worldwide. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery has recently emerged as a less invasive potential alternative to conventional three- or four-port laparoscopy. However, the feasibility of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) remains unclear, and there are no rigorous criteria in the literature. Identifying patients at risk of failure of this new technique is essential. The aim of our study was to determine risk factors that may predict failure of the procedure.

METHODS

From May 2010 to March 2012, 110 consecutive patients underwent SILC and were reviewed retrospectively. The main feasibility criterion was the procedure failure rate, defined as addition of supplementary port(s) and prolonged (>60 min) operative time. The factors evaluated were age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, previous abdominal surgery, indication for surgery and gallbladder suspension.

RESULTS

There was conversion in 16 patients (14.5%), and the operative time exceeded 60 min for 20 patients (30.9%). Univariate analysis showed a significant independent association between additional port requirement and each of weight as a continuous value, weight ≥80 kg, BMI >26.5 kg/m(2) and height >172 cm. Univariate analysis also showed a significant independent association between prolonged operative duration (>60 min) and each of height and weight as continuous values, height >172 cm and previous abdominal surgery. In the multivariate analysis, only weight remained independently associated with additional port requirement, and height remained independently associated with prolonged operative duration.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative identification of the factors increasing the risk of conversion may assist surgeons in making decisions concerning the management of patients, including appropriate use of SILC.

Expanding the indications for single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy to all patients with biliary disease: is it safe?

PURPOSE

The safety of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) has been proven in well-selected patients. The objective of this study was to determine whether SILC can be offered to all patients with any indication for cholecystectomy.

METHODS

A total of 173 consecutive SILCs were performed between January 2010 and November 2012 with no exclusion criteria. Demographic data, operative, and postoperative outcomes were prospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Patients with acute cholecystitis and gallstone pancreatitis had longer operative times and a higher conversion to 4-port cholecystectomy than patients with biliary colic. Similar relationships were seen when comparing patients with obesity to nonobese patients. There were no differences in complication rates between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

SILC can be safely offered to patients with a wide spectrum of biliary disease with the understanding that this may result in increased operative times and a higher likelihood of conversion to multiport laparoscopy.