Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery for Right Hemicolectomy

Hypothesis: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) allows surgeons to perform laparoscopic procedures through a single umbilical incision, minimizing surgical trauma. Design: We describe herein our methods of SILS right hemicolectomy using a recent case as an example. Setting: SILS appendectomy and cholecystectomy have been performed by our surgical team for longer than 1 year among more than 80 patients. Patient: SILS right hemicolectomy was performed in a 38-year-old woman with a history of B-cell lymphoma and ileocecal mass. Interventions: The operation was performed using a SILS port and an extracorporeal stapled anastomosis. Main Outcome Measures: Length of stay and postoperative pain and complications. Results: SILS right hemicolectomy took 175 minutes to perform. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 6; a chest infection after surgery had prolonged the length of stay. Conclusions: SILS is an attractive method to further minimize surgical trauma and can be applied in more complex cases, such as colectomy. Large trials are needed to determine the benefits of this new technique.