Background: Single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has recently been introduced as an alternative to natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery for scarless abdominal surgery. We report our preliminary experience with SILS cholecystectomy.
Methods: Six patients underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallbladder stones through a single umbilical incision.
Results: All procedures were completed successfully except for 1 case of gallbladder wall perforation by cautery that required 2 additional 5-mm ports. Mean operating time was 50 min (range, 20-110 min). There were no postoperative complications. Four patients were discharged within 24 hours and the other 2 within 48 hours. The cosmetic results were scored as excellent by all patients.
Conclusions: SILS cholecystectomy is feasible with standard laparoscopic instruments, and provides a promising alternative to natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery for scarless laparoscopic cholecystectomy.