Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery For Cholecystectomy

BackgroundSingle incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is an area of active research within general surgery. We describe our initial experience with single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy through 46 cases and provide a brief literature review on the development of this new technique.Method46 carefully-selected patients (29 female and 17 male, mean age 44.6 years, mean body mass index 24.8kg/m2) underwent totally transumbilical single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies at Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. We accessed the abdominal cavity in two different ways:SILSTM procedure kit was used in the first 10 cases, while standard rigid laparoscopic instruments were used in the latter 36 cases.ResultsAll the operations were successfully completed without conversion to conventional laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy. The mean operative time was 31.8 minutes (20-65minutes). No drainage tube was placed. No port-related or surgical complications such as bile leakage or uncontrolled hemorrhage occurred postoperatively. Patients were satisfied with the therapeutic and cosmetic outcomes. The mean hospital stay after surgery was 3 days. ConclusionSingle incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed totally through umbilicus is technically safe and feasible when performed by skilled laparoscopic surgeons. When compared with conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy, it is more manipulatively difficult, and further clinical randomized studies are recommended before its broad application is anticipated.