Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery: Scarless Stitchless Hysterectomy

Abstract

Abstract Background: Hysterectomy is the most common gynecologic surgery. Approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the United States. Hysterectomy has increasingly been performed using minimally invasive approaches, which offer advantages, such as early recovery and return to routine activities, improved cosmesis, shorter length of hospital stay, and reduced pain, compared with laparotomy. Conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy consists of 3–4 incisions where separate ports are placed, one for laparoscope access and 2–3 for surgical instruments' access. One technique for reducing the invasiveness of conventional laparoscopy is laparoendoscopic single-site surgery—scarless stitchless hysterectomy (LESS-SSH). The technique involves no stitching of the skin incision, although there are vaginal stitches, and does not create scars. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of LESS-SSH and analyze its benefits. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observatio...