Advantages of the glove port docking technique in robotic single-site cholecystectomy: comparison with the conventional silicone port

Clinical status and future prospects of single-incision robotic-assisted surgery: a review

Since the advent of conventional multiport laparoscopic surgery, the prosperity of minimally invasive surgery has been thriving on the advancement of endoscopic techniques. Cosmetic superiority, recovery benefits, and noninferior surgical outcomes weigh single-incision laparoscopic surgery as a promising modality. Although there are surgical challenges posed by steep learning curve and technological difficulties, such as instruments collision, triangulation loss and limited retraction, the establishment of robotic surgical platform as a solution to all is inspiring. Furthermore, with enhanced instrument maneuverability and stability, robotic ergonomic innovations adopt the advantages of single-incision laparoscopic surgery and surmount its recognized barriers by introducing a novel combination, single-incision robotic-assisted surgery. As was gradually diffused in general surgery and other specialties, single-incision robotic-assisted surgery manifests privileges in noninferior clinical outcomes an satisfactory cosmetic effect among strictly selected patients, and has the potential of a preferable surgical option for minimally invasive surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery for single-incision cholecystectomy: an updated systematic review

The role of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) and single-incision robotic cholecystectomy (SIRC) is still unclear. We update the summarization of the feasibility and safety of SILC and SIRC. A comprehensive search of SILC and SIRC of English literature published on PubMed database between January 2015 and November 2020 was performed. A total of 70 articles were included: 41 covering SILC alone, 21 showing SIRC alone, 7 reporting both, and 1 study not specified. In total, 7828 cases were recorded (SILC/SIRC/not specified, 6234/1544/50); and the gender of 7423 cases was definitively reported: the female rate was 64.0% (SILC/SIRC/not specified, 62.1%/71.5%/74.0%). The weighted mean for body mass index (BMI), operative time, blood loss and post-operative hospital stay was 25.5 kg/m² (SILC/SIRC, 25.0/27.0 kg/m²), 73.8 min (SILC/SIRC, 68.2/88.8 min), 12.6 mL (SILC/SIRC, 12.1/14.8 mL) and 2.5 days (SILC/SIRC, 2.8/1.9 days), respectively. The pooled prevalence of an additional port, conversion to open surgery, post-operative complications, intraoperative biliary injury, and incisional hernia was 4.1% (SILC/SIRC, 4.7%/1.9%), 0.9% (SILC/SIRC, 0.7%/1.5%), 5.9% (SILC/SIRC, 6.2%/4.1%), 0.1% (SILC/SIRC, 0.2%/0.09%), and 2.1% (SILC/SIRC, 1.4%/4.8%), respectively. Compared with conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy, SIRC has experienced more postoperative incisional hernias (risk difference = 0.05, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.07; P < 0.0001). By far, SILC and SIRC have not been considered a standard procedure. With the innovation of medical devices and gradual accumulation of surgical experience, feasibility and safety of performing SILC and SIRC will improve.

Easily Applicable Single-incision Laparoscopic Appendectomy Using Straightforward Instrumental Alignment and Conventional Laparoscopic Instruments

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic appendectomy is one of the most frequently performed operations. As such, single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) is indicated as a feasible and safe procedure comparable to conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (CLA). However, novice surgeons face challenges in performing SILA, because the role of the surgeon's hands is reversed. We introduce an easily applicable technique of SILA by adapting the alignment of CLA.

METHODS

A series of 61 consecutive patients underwent SILA between January 2019 and December 2019 by 4 surgeons at Bundang CHA Medical Center. Acute appendicitis was diagnosed preoperatively by abdomino-pelvis computed tomography or ultrasonography. During the operation, a 3-channel Glove port was used with conventional laparoscopic instruments.

RESULTS

The study participants consisted of 32 males and 29 females, with a mean age of 26.8 years (range, 4 to 66 y). The mean body mass index was 20.79 kg/m2 (range, 11.89 to 27.04 kg/m2). The mean operation time was 37.5±17.0 minutes. There was only 1 case of conversion with 1 additional port. Eight patients (13.1%) experienced postoperative complications defined by Dindo-Clavien-Strasberg classification: grade 1 wound complication in 7 patients and grade 2 postoperative bowel obstruction in 1 patient. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.5±1.3 days.

CONCLUSION

Alignment of the instruments during CLA was successfully implemented into a SILA. Our new, easily applicable SILA technique will decrease the learning curve for novice surgeons in performing single-incision laparoscopic surgery.

Safety and Feasibility of Robotic Reduced-Port Distal Pancreatectomy: a Multicenter Experience of a Novel Technique

BACKGROUND

A reduced-port approach including single-site surgery has been used for distal pancreatectomy. However, triangulation is difficult in reduced-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy, and instrument crowding, and collision may occur, so this approach has not been widely used. Recently, an innovative technique for distal pancreatectomy using a robotic single-site surgical system was introduced. Herein, we evaluate the safety and feasibility of this technique.

METHODS

Twenty-seven patients with a pancreatic tail mass underwent robotic single-site plus one-port distal pancreatectomy at six centers. We collected clinicopathologic data and evaluated the short-term perioperative outcomes of robotic single-site plus one-port distal pancreatectomy.

RESULTS

We evaluated 26 patients who underwent robotic single-site plus one-port distal pancreatectomy excluding one patient who needed more ports because of fatty abdomen. The mean age and body mass index were 47.3 years (range 21-74) and 22.6 kg/m² (range 15.8-28.8), respectively. The most common pathologic diagnosis was solid papillary neoplasm followed by a neuroendocrine tumor. The mean operating time was 201 min. The mean length of hospital stay after surgery was 7 days (range 4-10). The rate of spleen preservation was 34.6% (9/26). Six patients had postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) grade A, and no patients had POPF grade B or C. Only one patient had class II morbidity.

CONCLUSION

Robotic single-site plus one-port distal pancreatectomy is safe and feasible in terms of short-term outcomes. This technique could be performed in select cases to expand the surgical boundaries of the robotic single-site platform. Further studies are needed with more cases to investigate long-term outcomes.

Robot-assisted laparoendoscopic single-site upper urinary tract surgery with da Vinci Xi surgical system: Initial experience

Purpose

The da Vinci Xi robot surgical system was newly released with several upgrades and modifications made to its previous Si platform; to further enhance the capabilities to carry out minimally invasive surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of robot laparoendoscopic single-site surgery performed with the da Vinci Xi system.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective chart review of patients undergoing of robot laparoendoscopic single-site by a single surgeon using the Xi single-site platform from November 2016 and May 2019. For the da Vinci Xi system, multichannel port and "Lap Single Vision" port access platform were placed through a single periumbilical incision.

Results

Fourteen patients underwent single-site surgery with benign cases (n=9) and partial nephrectomy cases (n=5). Among surgeries for the partial nephrectomy patients, one case of conversion to multiport robotic surgery occurred due to difficulty of tumor resection. Other major intraoperative complication, renal vein injury, was occurred in a patient who underwent a pyelolithotomy. The patient required a blood transfusion however, we were able to repair the vascular injury using prolene suture without additional port placement and open conversion. In our series, there were no conversions to open. The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients; only Clavien-Dindo III complications occurred.

Conclusions

Our preliminary experience with robot laparoendoscopic single-site surgery using the da Vinci Xi system demonstrated feasibility and safety in selected patients. Further studies with a greater number of patients in multiple settings will help to fully elucidate the role of da Vinci Xi surgical system in single-site surgery.

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy using instrumental alignment in robotic single-site cholecystectomy

Purpose

There is no standardized single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) technique in contrast to robot single-site cholecystectomy (RSSC). We tried to implement the array of instruments used in RSSC to SILC.

Methods

A series of 108 consecutive patients underwent SILC between September 2014 and July 2017 by 2 surgeons. The indication was benign disease of the gallbladder. The perioperative outcomes were reviewed. We used the 4-channel Glove port and conventional laparoscopic instruments.

Results

The study subjects consisted of 29 males and 79 females, and the mean age was 44.4 years (range, 16–70 years). Mean body mass index was 24.1 kg/m². The mean working time was 25.0 ± 10.7 minutes and total operation time was 44.4 ± 12.4 minutes. There were 7 cases of conversion (additional 1 port in 4 patients, additional 2 ports in 2, and conventional 4 port technique in 1). Bile spillage from the gallbladder during the procedure occurred in 17 (15.7%). There were no postoperative complications. Postoperative hospital stay was 2.0 ± 0.6 days.

Conclusion

The alignment of the instruments in a RSSC was successfully implemented into a SILC, so that an equally effective operation was possible.